Writer Tadhg forging ahead with new books
FORMER Librarian Tadhg Coakley has certainly had irons in many fires throughout his life.
Born to a very popular Mallow family on the Cork Road, Tadhg is no stranger to sport. He played Minor and U-21 Hurling for Cork while he also played both Hurling and Football for Mallow, and lined out for Mallow United Soccer Club during his playing years.
He admits he was lucky enough to win four Fitzgibbon Cup College medals while at UCC, alongside Tipperary hurling marksman Nicky English.
The son of the late Tim Coakley who was manager of Mallow Mart and Springmount Dairy, Tadhg achieved an MA in creative writing from UCC, which introduced him to a new career in the world of writing. He published his first novel, First Sunday, in September in 2018 which was short listed for a Mercier Press Fiction Prize.
The 59 year old admits he always wanted to write a novel surrounding GAA games with his first outing coming up trumps. His new novel, Whatever It Takes, has been selected as the One City One Book title for 2020 in Cork.
The story surrounds the life of a local Garda Detective named Collins who is at war with local criminal Dominic Molloy, who is steeped in drugs, violence and prostitution.
Tadhg’s third outing in the literary world is an autobiography surrounding the life and times of ace Cork dual player Denis Coughlan, which is due out in October this year. He is also finalising a memoir /book of essays about his life in sport entitled A Place Beyond Words.
During a very historic and deadly period in all our lives with the Covid-19 pandemic, the
Mallow scribe continues to be hugely active in his writing, contributing with short stories to publications such as the Irish Examiner, the Cork Holly Bough and others.
He also keeps a blog on subjects close to his heart, such as sport, travel and the natural world.
Tadhg is one of eight children, the eldest being Mary, who taught at St. Mary’s Secondary School. His brother Dermot played hurling for Cork and Mallow and won a County medal for his his home town in 1972.
The other siblings include John, Una, Cathy, Padraig and Pauline. Tadhg and his wife, Ciara, live in Ballinlough in Cork.