Paradise Alley – By John D Sheridan – first novel about the 1913 lockout published by Seven Towers

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Posted on September 8, 2012 by Seven Towers

Paradise Alley

by John D Sheridan was first published by Talbot Press, Dublin in 1945. This new edition, published by Seven Towers, includes an introduction by Sarah Lundberg and Joe Mooney with details from the real school records and memories of the pupils who were there – Tommy Devlin, Larry Kane, Maisie Lynch, Teresa Mason, and former Republic of Ireland kitman Charlie O’Leary.

Cited as the forerunner to Strumpet City by the Irish Times in 1980 Paradise Alley gives a close up view of the stark poverty in Dublin’s dockland slums in the first half of the twentieth century, as well as looking at the violence of the 1913 lockout, through the eyes of the school master Anthony Domican and the words of those around him, including his pupils. John D Sheridan backdrops the manure factory, coalyards and warehouses of the docklands with sailboats in Dublin Bay, and tempers the pain of everyday life with hope and his characteristic humour.

This publication sees a new departure for Seven Towers, venturing into literary tradition as well as local history.

Sarah Lundberg, publisher at Seven Towers says ‘When we first started Seven Towers we were very conscious that we were stepping into a long established and important literary tradition, and we hoped to honour this tradition’s history while also becoming part of its present and its future. This publication forms part of that, enabling us to bring part of Dublin’s literary tradition into the present, and stretching out non-fiction wings at the same time.’

This book is also an exciting venture for East Wall – local historian, Joe Mooney says ‘East Wall is celebrating Pride of Place this summer and we wanted to do something really important, for East Wall and beyond. Celebrating our community through bringing this literary work to a new audience achieves this, showcasing East Wall and John D Sheridan and what he achieved in literature as well as what East Wallers can remember through his book’

Bullying Gets a ONE INCH PUNCH – Oran Ryan’s new novel

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Seven Towers

Press Release

Super Back to School Reading – for adults!

The devastating impact of Bullying is central to Oran Ryan’s novel It’s

that time of the year again, back to school! It is a time of mixed

emotions, as teachers, parents and children all adjust in their own

way. For some, it’s a time to fear…as the spectre of the Bully stands

before them. One of those who faced down that spectre was Dublin author

Oran Ryan, who has used his experience as the raw material this

terrific novel is built from. It is a novel that addresses the issue so

powerfully that it was quoted from in a Seanad debate on the issue!

As a special back to school promotion , with every copy of One Inch Punch

by Oran Ryan sold in October, a copy of Oran’s first novel, The Death

of Finn will be given absolutely free (and yes, ebook purchasers will

get free ebook) (Buy from http://www.seventowers.ie) Highlighting the ever

topical, sensitive issue of bullying at school, Oran Ryan’s novel One

Inch Punch traces the life of Gordon Brock, at gifted child who was

bullied at school, and the effect both this bullying and the young

Gordon’s response to it, had on his life. Based on Ryan’s own

experiences of being bullied as a schoolboy, and on his life-long

battle with depression, this intelligent, erudite work provides insight

as well as entertainment. Just what you need for your school morning’s

coffee break! And – to enhance your experience, we’re giving a free

copy of Oran’s brilliant first novel, The Death of Finn, with all

purchases of One Inch Punch for the month of September.

One Inch Punch was discussed by Senator David Norris in a Seanad Debate

on bullying. On 14 November 2012, describing Oran as a writer of talent,

Senator Norris went on to say about One Inch Punch that it is "a very subtle

book, revolving entirely around the devastating impact of bullying on a

child in a school for gifted children." Senator Norris launched One

Inch Punch on 15 November 2012, describing the books as "engaging",

"terribly funny . . . clever and quirky" and "heartbreaking in places".

He also likened some passages to the work of Flann O’Brien. Oran Ryan

says "I am honoured that Senator Norris, a man I greatly admire agreed

to launch One Inch Punch and am delighted that it was used in the

Seanad to highlight the problem of bullying. The issue is beginning to

be highlighted in the media, but I believe that it is impossible to

overstate the long term damage that bullying can cause and the fact

that it affects people all of their lives. This is something that needs

to be communicated to teachers and bullies."

One Inch Punch is based on Oran’s own experiences of being bullied at school.

Originally from Portobello, Dublin, Oran Ryan is now delighted to call East Wall,

Dublin 3, home. Oran attended school at Synge Street for both his

primary and secondary school. One Inch Punch is Oran’s 3rd novel, his

others being The Death of Finn and Ten Short Novels by Arthur Kruger.

Seamus Cashman, publisher and editor said of The Death of Finn that it

is "a serious and entertaining and perceptive novel of relationships

and ideas and a book which will hold readers enthralled and awakened

and they journey through it . . . [Oran Ryan] is a new and powerful

voice in Irish literature". Actor and writer, Frank Kelly, said of

Ten Short Novels by Arthur Kruger that it is "a stimulating and

challenging novel that made me chuckle with its wry Beckett-like

humour! Oran Ryan is available to talk about One Inch Punch, his

writing, his experience of bullying and his long battle with

depression.

Contact: Sarah Lundberg – 0894240261,

slundberg@seventowers.ie

One Inch Punch by Oran Ryan ISBN 978-0957-151086 ?11.99

Ebook 978-0-9571510-0-0 ?7

The Death of Finn by Oran Ryan ISBN-13: 978-0955275708 ?8

Ebook ISBN 9780957151024 ?5

Ten Short Novels by Arthur Kruger by Oran Ryan 978-0955275760 ?8

Ebook ISBN 978-0-9571510-5-5 ?5

One Inch Punch, The Death of Finn and Ten Short Novels by Arthur Kruger are available through http://www.seventowers.ie.

Trade queries can also be made through the site and through info@seventowers.ie.

Seven Towers is a not for profit publishing house, based in East Wall in Dublin and run entirely by volunteers.

New York based writer Maura Mulligan appears in Dublin this Tuesday

Posted on August 4, 2013 by Seven Towers

New York based writer Maura Mulligan appears in Dublin this Tuesday

Her memoir “Call of the Lark” recalls emigration from Mayo , her life as a nun and questioning the role of women in the Catholic Church

Seven Towers is delighted to host an event this Tuesday, 6th August, with New York based writer Maura Mulligan.

Maura Mulligans recent memoir “Call of the Lark” recalls her life in Mayo in the mid 20thcentury and her later emigration to America. Here she was to become a Nun and spend 16 years in religious service, before leaving and becoming involved in the arts – as a dancer, actress and author.

Maura Mulligans experiences as revealed in this memoir touches on so much that is relevant to us today – the Irish rural tradition still survives , the role of the Catholic church remains central to many lives (even those who question and doubt it), and unfortunately emigration is once again a factor in national life. This is a unique opportunity to share in the experiences that shaped one woman –who used her immense creative talent to record vividly the events and spiritual struggle that were part of her artistic development.

Maura Mulligan will be appearing in

The Twisted Pepper

54 Abbey Street, Dublin 1 ,

Tuesday 6th August at 1.15pm

All are welcome to this free event, where there will be an opportunity to hear Maura read from her work, and there will also be a live interview recorded where she will discuss her life and her art.

According to Sarah Lundberg, of Seven Towers: “Maura was born in Mayo, the home county of Taoiseach Enda Kenny. She was amongst the many of her generation who emigrated to the United States in the hope of finding a better life there. In the year when we are celebrating The Gathering, with a new focus on those who left our shores, it is important that people like Maura get to tell their story, and we are delighted to provide her with the opportunity to speak in Dublin.”

Maura Mulligan is currently available for interviews both live and pre-recorded. Contact Sarah Lundberg at 0894240261

Link to Seven Towers – http://www.seventowers.ie/cms/

This event represents the second recent collaboration between Seven Towers and Irish American Writers And Artists (AIW&A). In July John Kearns , author and playwright joined us for a reading at The Twisted Pepper and also delivered a talk on The Molly Maguires at the Sean O’Casey Theatre , East Wall .

Seven Towers special Themed Reading Heroes and Super Heroes

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Seven Towers

The notion of a hero speaks of someone who is admired or even idolized for courage or truly exceptionally noble qualities in the face of extraordinary adversity. This Thursday 11th July in the Irish Writers Center, Parnell Square four writers/poets will expound on their own inimitable interpretations and understandings of the state of heroism in the twenty first century.

Barbara Smith is a poet and teacher who lives in County Louth, Ireland. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from Queen’s University, Belfast. RecSample Imageent achievements include being shortlisted for the UK Smith/Doorstop Poetry Pamphlet competition 2009, a prizewinner at Scotland’s 2009 Wigtown Poetry Competition, and recipient of the Annie Deeny 2009/10 bursary awarded by the Tyrone Guthrie Centre for Artists and Writers, Ireland. Her first collection, Kairos, was published by Doghouse Books in 2007.

Catherine Ann Cullen was born in Drogheda, Co Louth. She is a graduate of the M.Phil in Creative Writing at Trinity College Dublin. Her work has been published in The Doghouse Book of Ballad Poems, two Sunday Miscellany collections, The Stinging Fly, College Green and The Sunday Tribune. She is a regular contributor to RTÉ Radio One’s Sunday Miscellany and A Living Word, and has presented work at the Kilkenny Arts Festival, the Brendan Kennelly Summer School, the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series, the Between the Lines Festival, and Belfast Young at Arts. Two verse-stories for children, The Magical, Mystical, Marvelous Coat (2001) and Thirsty Baby (2003) have been published by Little, Brown in the US. They first won a gold award for Poetry and Folklore from the American Parents Association. Her animation work includes a bawdy verse-script for Rowlandson Rides Again (Moving Still, 2006), an adult short on the 18th Century artist Thomas Rowlandson. She has made documentaries and a series about food for RTÉ Radio 1 and produced current affairs, arts and features. She lives with her partner Harry and daughter Stella in Kimmage, Dublin. A Bone in My Throat (Doghouse) is her first collection of poetry.

Published in The Stinging Fly and The Scaldy Detail, Maggie Breen has been writing since as far back as she can remember. Compelled to write as a form of speaking out, she draws inspiration from the familiar at home, childhood memories, her extensive travels and vivid dreams. Originally from Monageer, Co. Wexford, she divides her time between Sallins, Co. Kildare, and Dingle, Co. Kerry.
“Maggie Breen digs deep into personal memory to unearth a vivid picture of a rural childhood, to reclaim that childhood in language, and to reinhabit with power and grace the landscape of those early years. She shines light into the darkest reaches of community and family life and celebrates the tenacity and endurance of the child self. She gives us poems rich in promise: even as she unpacks the complex baggage of a young Irishwoman determined to take the world on her own terms, she succeeds in celebrating the very blessings of that difficult path. These poems bring to mind Kavanagh’s beautiful phrase —
To look on is enough / In the business of love.” Paula Meehan

Ruairi Conneely is a writer born in France and grew up in London. Published in Census and with an extensive interest in graphic novels, Ruairi now works as a journalist for the local newspaper News 4

First Tuesday Reading with John Kearns – 2-7-2013

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Seven Towers

By Sarah Lundberg

So blogging live from the exciting First Tuesday event with visiting author, New Yorker and Irish American writer, John Kearns, fresh from his high flying media life-style, after an interview with Myles Dungan on the Pat Kenny show! First up, John Kearns met his Irish mirror – the other John Kearns. Having been brought up in Philadephia – where his novel The World is set – a novel where there one character who is many people- including youth, artist . . . based on the idea where when a character goes through a major change in their life they gain a name change. Eamonn Lynskey, interviewing John, was conscious of Joycean influence in the work, the stream of consciousness style and the influence of the Irish background, a heritage that the character discovers as the book develops.

Eamonn asked John about his interest in the Molly Maguires, which came from reading a book at school and which kind of grew itself and keeps re-visiting itself on him, making him an accidental historian – and John invested his knowledge into a play Sons of Molly Maguire.

Eamonn invited John to read from ‘Backstage’ one of his short stories, written about a young student

who is involved in some one act plays.

Eamonn talked about the story ‘Athletics’ and how it and other characters of John’s set themselves standards they have to live up to. Eamonn read a paragraph from the story – which reminded him of Frank O’Hara’s lunchtime poems.

After the talk there was a Q&A where Ruairi asked about writing short stories, which he doesn’t write so much any more – concentrating on novels and plays.

Oran Ryan asked about his artistic sensibility – whether John is more influenced by Irish or American literature – and John explained how and why his influence is Irish literature, which he studied at Graduate School also.

John read a bit about the Irish identity part in The World, a kind of naïve history section, when the character is ‘the youth’.

June Last Wednesday Social and Open Mic 26 June 2013

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Seven Towers

Quiet night at the Last Wednesday what with the summer’s re-visit after the magic moon! And the hat went back to its usual seclusion in the back of my wardrobe, as Declan returned – from his stay at the back of the wardrobe (or did he go to Narnia?)

Anyway, first up was Mark Madden having travelled down from Northern climes in Belfast – in the temporary corner of . . . (the lights being somewhat obstreperous!) Mark started with a short poem ‘Perfect World’, about his perfect world (!) and followed this with ‘Coffee House Poetry’ from his poetry collection, Timely demise of the Reluctant Conformist, about, among other things, the muse answering your call in camel pyjamas. His third poem was about Ulster – ‘It’s alright, they’ve gone, you can come out now’. He finished with ‘Horsewhisperer’; After Mark it was the turn of Lauren Lawler, making her Last Wednesday debut with ‘My Grandmother in the 40s, the 1960s’; the with ‘The Banshee’, also about her grandmother, about whom she has mixed feelings – but good poems! Lauren’s next poem was about getting dumped – pulling out all the stops! After Lauren, after a brief interlude when Declan lamented the disappeared from the Census Anthology – those who had attended the poetry open mic before and who moved on to different things – or were perhaps kidnapped by aliens -it was the turn of Canice Lawlor also making a Last Wednesday debut (and with an ‘o’ not an ‘e’!) with ‘A Fear that Dare not Speak its Name’.

After a short break it was the turn of Ross Hattaway, forgoing his cricket for poetry for once! Though it turns out there was no cricket on, rather than poetry winning out! Ross started with a new poem ‘Arigna’ – about the Arigna coal mine; he followed with a poem drawn from the Mount Temple Writes of Passage workshop – where he imparted his brief wisdom – and wrote a poem about the clock tower (that is in the book The Clock Tower Ghost and Other Writings). Ross’ poem is called ‘Watching’. He followed up with a poem reacting to String Theory –which sounds stupid – ‘Unravelling the Edges of Speculative Physics’ – with knitting theory – the big yarn, with needle continuums and dark kitten forces. His gift was from Bruce Dore, for his younger son, who just left primary school – ‘The Last of Games’ After Ross it was Ruairi Conneely – not last! Ruairi read some work from ‘The Unexploded Series’ – where he gets ideas for stories that he’s never going to write, so writes them as poems. He Then read ‘Celeste and Annette’, the first part of a three part piece. And after Ruairi it was the turn of Oran Ryan reading his Emmaus piece from the Tellmetale Bloomnibus at the Irish Writers’ Centre which is available in the ebook of the same name.

After a short break =, during which Phil Lynch magically appeared, fresh from his ‘Your wife thinks this is a holiday’ European poetry tour(!) and started up with ‘Encounters’, a sort of love poem, in sonnet form. He followed with a struggle in progress, ‘Gathering’, His next poem was one written for the television Themed Tuesday, ‘Here is the News’, where you can vote for the war you like the most and the outcome you would want to see, and they’ll have ‘none of your positivities. He ended with a poem to be read on 9^th July Ten Days in Dublin reading in the Winding Stair Bookshop. The poem is ‘Hidden Treasure’, The brochure features a camouflaged Phil – behind the beard he is not wearing tonight at the open mic.

After Phil, as it was such a quiet night, Declan organised a round table, and we started with Ruairi Conneely reading from Doog Wood’s Old Men Forget; Oran Ryan was next, reading ‘Leave a Note’ from One Inch Punch – Ah what an artist dies in me’; after Oran it was Phil, who performed ‘Life Blood’; and next up it was Mark Madden reading ‘Young Socialists’ (like Bambi in a wolf’s stare!) from his collection; after Mark in was Ross Hattaway, who followed up about the nightmare of daytime TV he was forced to watch during a forced convalescence – ‘The New Cooking’. After Ross, the circle continued, This time Ruairi read a second poem from Doog’s book – ‘On Zeb’s Field’; Oran, up next, read from The Clock Tower Ghost and Other Writings where ‘Joe the Astronaut Touched Down’ ; after Oran, Phil with another performance – this time ‘Carpe Diem’; and after Phi;, a brief discussion on how to learn your own work off by heart – apparently the secret is repetition and a full length mirror was mentioned too! After imparting his words of advice, Mark read a gift work from Mick Farren (as in Mick Farren and the Deviants band) – ‘I know from Self Destruction’. And then Declan gave Ross the final word! And he ended with ‘The Trigger’ from ‘Killing My Husband’.

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Paradise Alley – By John D Sheridan – first novel about the 1913 lockout published by Seven Towers

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CERVENA BARVA PRESS NEWSLETTER

Gloria Mindock, Editor

Issue No. 102 October, 2020

Email: editor Website: Cervena Barva Press Bookstore: The Lost Bookshelf

Editorial

Welcome to the October Newsletter, 2020. Our last newsletter was in July.

Email: editor
Website: Cervena Barva Press
Bookstore: The Lost Bookshelf