New Books and Titles | The Dawning of the Day by Liam Nevin

The Dawning of the Day by Liam Nevin

– sweeping-epic family drama set against background of a turbulent decade in Irish history –

As Ireland's Decade of Centenaries draws to a close, a recently published historical novel by Liam Nevin recounts that turbulent period in a sweeping epic of interweaving tales concerning three families, their trials and tribulations, their lives and loves.

The Brennans are a working-class family from Dublin's inner city. In 1915, John Brennan enlists in the British Army, where he experiences the horrors of war first hand.

In nearby rural County Kildare (but almost a world away) are the Byrnes, a family of farm labourers who work for Major O'Kelly, a wealthy landowner of Irish Ascendancy descent.

Events that are about to unfold will change everything – forever and for all concerned.

The genesis of this book, Liam Nevin recalls, lies in a story that his mother used to relate to him as a young boy, of a soldier being fatally wounded in a field that they would pass on their Sunday walks. The incident occurred during Ireland's civil war (1922-23) and, it stoked an interest in him that he would often return to.

I never remembered being taught much about that time when I was at school in the sixties. It was probably too painful or too embarrassing for those who lived through it. Most history books went only as far as the Anglo-Irish War, when Ireland had 'won her freedom'. I remember the enmity that existed between neighbours when I was growing up in the fifties and sixties. I struggled to understand why some families were for and others against the Treaty of 1921. My research would lead me to the answer.

The 1913 Lockout, the Great War, the Easter Rising of 1916, the Irish War of Independence and subsequent civil war all come within the scope of this narrative. Faithful attention to historical detail adds to its allure. However, it is the impact of these events on the human level (the individual and interpersonal tales) that offer up a rich seam of storytelling.

A native of County Kildare, Liam Nevin lives in Shepperton, England with his wife Marlene, where he is now retired, having worked for forty-one years at Heathrow Airport. He writes on Irish and local history, in both fictional and non-fictional styles.

The Dawning of the Day by Liam Nevin is published by The Manuscript Publisher and available to buy online, in print and e-book editions. Previously published works by Liam Nevin include The Tobacco Fields of Meath (2010) and Brightening Over Dillon's (2016), which are also available to buy online.

Hear Liam Nevin speak to Theresa Quinn of Liffey Sound FM about his books and writing activities

New Books and Titles | The Stolen Years by Debbie Paget

The Stolen Years by Debbie Paget

– a wisdom born of suffering and a boundless faith in miracles –

The Stolen Years by Debbie Paget
with Foreword by Mary McAleese

Three years following the death of her daughter, Tina, in 1999 at the tender age of just eight, Debbie Paget began writing about her experiences, as much to aid the grieving process as anything else. What emerges from that undertaking is a fascinating and heartfelt story.

Debbie was born into a family of fifteen in Dublin, in the 1960s. She talks about her earliest memories: from a very difficult childhood in the family home, amusing tales concerning neighbours and friends, her days in homeless hostels, school days, family tragedies, abuse, neglect, love and marriage, the birth of her children.

Death, life and love are intertwined in this unique story. It is the particularly sad and untimely death of her darling daughter and first baby girl, Tina that forms the focus. Tina’s short life was one of remarkable courage, strength and laughter in the face of tragedy. Mary McAleese, who got to know Tina well during her first term as President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann), recalls of those encounters that:

She had a wisdom born of suffering and a boundless faith in miracles. Her mother's book is one of those miracles.

Today, Debbie finds great comfort and solace in the spiritual world, where she keeps regular contact with Tina. Her story reveals a fighting spirit and a keen understanding of life in the face of adversity. Debbie is a survivor and her story will amaze, stun, sadden and inspire all who read it.

Although Debbie often had to endure the absence of love at crucial times in her life, she is such a loving person and she understands that love is at the core of life itself. Even through death and sadness, love conquers all.

The Stolen Years by Debbie Paget is published by The Manuscript Publisher and available to buy online, in print and e-book editions.

Listen to a podcast of Debbie talking to Johnny Holmes of Near FM about her life and the book that her experiences has produced.