A POTPOURRI OF IRISH TALES

A Potpourri of Irish Tales is a collection of ten stories which have an imaginative, wide-ranging variety, many with an element of surprise and of the unexpected. Most of the stories are set in Belfast; some of them chronicle a time before the 'Troubles' started when the city wore an uneasy cloak of dull respectability, while others convey the frightening sectarian bitterness of the conflict. Other stories reflect the human condition in its infinite variety whether it is the middle-aged lonely bachelor who discovers he has a twin sister that he was unaware of, or the schoolboy whose spontaneous action causes the death of two men. The first story of the collection, 'Napoleon's Nose', will appeal to the hearts of those who long for the innocence of childhood and the simplicity of an era long past; and similarly, 'Broken Window' is a semi-fictional account of a schoolboy incident involving one of Belfast's iconic sporting heroes.

Whatever the context, these stories are vividly told, written with effortless skill and empathy, and captures the essence of a time and place fast fading from memory.