Month: August 2015

Book Review – We Don’t Know What We’re Doing by Thomas Morris

Posted Rick O'Shea

It’s been a while back since I read an early proof of Tom Morris’s lovely new collection of short stories. I merely know him as the editor of Stinging Fly and the brilliant Dubliners 100 anthology and that guy I met on a judging panel I was at a Literary Death Match event who was softly spoken, charming and instantly funnier with his assessments of the readers than any of the rest of us. In this, his first collection of stories, he shows us the pulled back lace curtains of (mostly) Caerphilly with a young lad working his last shift […]

I’m This Year’s MS Readathon Ambassador, It Seems…

Posted Rick O'Shea

There’s always something going on, right? Well I’m thrilled to announce I’m the ambassador for this year’s ‎MS Readathon‬. It’s always a brilliant month for kids and adults alike to get together, read more and make money for a great cause – Multiple Sclerosis Ireland. Sign up now and start reading from October – http://www.msreadathon.ie/readathon Please share around people you think might like to get involved!

Irish Craft Beer Festival 2015

Posted Rick O'Shea

So here they are, the beers consumed (by two of us, I hasten to add!) on the night. Winner of the night? The 8 Degrees, but very, very hefty at 10%. Top night, lovely brewers, great people. But I’m glad it’s only twice a year 😉

The Simon Stephens Interview

Posted Rick O'Shea

Bonkers, just bonkers. Thank you to everyone who came up to Dubray Books to watch me interview Simon Stephens about adapting The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time for stage all those years ago. He’s still so passionate about it and about is work in general and it helped that he’s a bit of a rock star, great at holding a crowd and charismatic to boot. Perfect for an interviewer in a situation like that. The event was done in association with my Book Club over on FB and around 50 of us went for a few beers […]

Free Tweets 3

Posted Rick O'Shea

It’s that time again. The last two craft beers festivals in Dublin I’ve offered free RTs to attending brewers if they tweet me details of beers they’re bringing and what they’re doing, simple as. Why? I like to think I’m part of that world now and I have a little social media heft I can offer small Irish companies I like. What do I want in return? Nada. Tweet me – @rickoshea

Book Review – Young God by Katherine Faw Morris

Posted Rick O'Shea

I’m not sure I could ever use the word “enjoy” to describe Young God. It’s remarkably akin to being hit sharply across the head with a box set of the first series of True Detective. Nikki is 13 when her mother falls from a cliff and she goes to find her absent father in his remote trailer and continue her family’s drug trade in the redneck Appalachians. She’s abused by her dead mother’s boyfriend, takes drugs copiously and participates in cutting up a body with an axe. Amongst other things. This one is hard to quantify for me. I came away […]