There are modern Irish writers that I greatly admire, particularly Colm Toibin and Claire Keegan, but oh my goodness the melancholy that is involved. I realise that the last 150 years of Irish history is extremely fertile land to be harvested by any writer and the enormous power and influence of the Roman Catholic Church colours stories and characters with guilt, for no matter how many prayers are said, total obedience and perfection will always remain elusive.
The short stories in ‘Walk the Blue Fields’ are so full of skill and there is so much to be admired but after this I will choose my next book very carefully. It needs to be positive and upbeat and it is highly unlikely to be set in Ireland.