Judge goes from bench to the press
DOUBLE BOOK LAUNCH NEXT WEEK
DURING his years on the bench, former District Justice Michael Pattwell was known to make an occasional headline grabbing observation. His judgements were rarely less than newsworthy.
Next week in Cork, the judge who sat in courts throughout North Cork for 21 years will be in the news once again for more poetic reasons.
‘After Sunset’, his second book of poetry and prose, will be launched at an event in Vibes and Scribes in Cork City on Thursday next, November 14. It will be part of a double city launch as Baile Mhúirne based bard Ashley O’Neal will also be launching ‘ The Wrent is Near’, a book of her poetry on the night.
The book’s title poem focuses on the loss of his second wife, Mairéad, who died after a relatively short illness in 2013. In a book which consists of four sections, After Sunset is one of several in a segement dedicated to his his late wife.
Mairéad had been a muse and an editor to him as he wrote his first book, ‘Flaghopping and Other Poems’, which was published in 2010.
“I had to do all the work on this one myself,” he said. “Mairéad had been editor, advisor, critic and chief supporter for Flaghopping.”
“She has, however, continued to be my inspiration for several of the poems in this book and I have created a special section in the book for those.”
Looking back on his legal career, Michael said: “I enjoyed it while I as at it until the very last day – but I’m enjoying retirement, too.”
The book contains poems and stories in English with a sprinkling of Irish language works throughout and he writes of his beliefs, or non beliefs, his life experiences, nature and country things.
According to poet Thomas McCarthy in the book’s preface, the book is a personal anthology of poetry and prose and an ‘achievement of imagination fed by long and tested experience’.
“Here is a writer willing to remember adamantly, willing to insist upon the power of memory and family; willing to test and risk feelings in the pursuit of higher truths.”
The poet and novelist describes the prose in Part IV of the book as allowing a ‘freer reign of Michael Pattwell’s mischievious good humour and love of blackguarding’.
The final judgement on the book of judiciously penned poetry and prose is as fair as the judge’s own decisions in his days on the bench.
“This collection, both poetry and prose, will delight the reader – and feed the imagination with even greater conviction upon re-reading.
“His is a humane and joyful art.”