Finished A Girl Is A Half-formed Thing by Eimear McBride, her debut novel, written about ten years ago but which only went into print last year after many rejection slips. She took quite a risk in the style of writing but this stream of consciousness narrative about an outrageous, promiscuous young girl and her complex relationship with her family wins through by its passion. McBride’s staccato style occasionally jars but we are driven on by that classic, if not voyeuristic lure of wondering what will happen next.
5th June. Interviewed by Andrea Riccio, a researcher from Sapienza University of Rome who is currently working on a PHD about hunger striking.
Interviewed by historian Bob White from Illinois.
At QUB gave talk to US law students from Duquesne University.
13th May. Did interview with Roy Garland on Nolan Show, BBC Radio Ulster, about Protestant working-class boys’ underachievement at second-level education.
8th May. In Liverpool read from my novel Rudi as part of the Writers on The Wall Festival.
7th May. Interviewed by Marissa McGlinchey regarding dissident republicans.
2nd May. Interviewed on Louth radio station LMFM about Gerry Adams’ arrest. Interviewed on Nolan Show Radio Ulster and later Nolan on 5 Live about arrest of Gerry Adams.
1st May. Interviewed on Today FM about the arrest of Gerry Adams.
29th April. Interviewed on Skype by Maggie Scull, a PhD student at King’s College London, on the subject of the Catholic Church and the Troubles.
11th April. In Cork for the Lifelong Learning Festival and chaired their Scribes event.
9th April. Interviewed on Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show about Martin McGuinness’s visit to England and his toasting the Queen.
7th April. Interviewed on Good Morning Ulster and later BBC Radio Foyle about Martin McGuinness’s visit to Windsor Castle banquet.
31st March. Interviewed on Louth’s LMFM about the Boston College archives.
30th March. Interviewed on BBC’s Sunday Sequence regarding the banning of books in British prisons.
18th March. Interviewed by Brendan Byrne re the life and times of Bobby Sands.