“Independence Day” FT piece

Read the recent Financial Times piece below. FT Irelandfinal1 FT Irelandfinal2

My glittering career

During these unwelcome days of fear and confusion I sometimes think back over the decades to the first time I made what might be called a literary submission. One snowy afternoon on the upper floor of my aunts’ bookshop in Waterford I came…

My lovely bookshop

I’m been dreaming of better days. I’m been dreaming of the places I’ve missed, including beaches and mountains, libraries and bookshops. And in these dreams, I often swoop back in time to my lovely bookshop. In the late-1950s, my two…

Life in a Cocoon

Not until my brother, a kind man in his early sixties, rang the other day and offered to collect my shopping, did I realise I was old. I’m aware of my biological age, of course – my travel pass, pension and TV licence are all compliments…

Ireland’s forgotten famine

FAO: THE IRISH TIMES IRELAND’S FORGOTTEN FAMINE by Peter Cunningham 24 March 2020 A little over three years ago, I began a new novel, set in Sutton, County Dublin in the early 1920s. I feel a close connection to that era: my mother was…

My father’s library

  2 MY FATHER’S LIBRARY   Some of the novels in my father’s library illustrate the ravages of time. I came into these books at the end of the last century, when my dad passed away, and carefully preserved on my shelves…

The Organ Recital

By Peter Cunningham © 1     I crossed the invisible bar at the dead of night as a ship silently crosses a meridian on its way to a port called Rigor Mortis. Well, to be truthful, it wasn’t quite like that. In fact,…

EVELYN’S GOOSEBERRY CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS 1 kg gooseberries 250 g onions 300 g brown sugar Half teaspoon of cayenne pepper 25 g salt 1 tablespoon of ground ginger 250 ml water WHAT TO DO Top and tail the gooseberries then chop them Chop…

Season 1 Chapter 10
ENDINGS

THE STORY SO FAR   This evening I’m on the edge of my chair. It’s ridiculous. I’ve become far too engrossed in Evelyn’s domestic life at a time when I’m meant to be simply giving her tips on how to write fiction. Months…

Season 1 Chapter 9
CHRISTMAS COMPLICATIONS

THE STORY SO FAR By my calculations, this is my ninth meeting with Evelyn, my neighbour. Back in October when I agreed to try and help her with ambition to become the next Margaret Atwood, I never thought we would get this far. But here we…

Season 1 Chapter 8
I-SAID-HE-SAID-SHE-SAID

THE STORY SO FAR I’ve been meeting my neighbour, Evelyn, for nearly two months now to discuss creative writing. A lot has changed in that time – for Evelyn. When we began she was a lonely widow in need of help. Now she’s much happier…

EVELYN’S APPLE CAKE

INGREDIENTS 250 g self-raising flour Pinch of salt Half a teaspoon of ground cloves 125 g butter 3 or 4 large cooking apples 200 g sugar 2 eggs A little milk to mix WHAT TO DO Line large tin with baking…

Season 1 Chapter 7
INBUILT PERVERSITY

THE STORY SO FAR Since the beginning of October I’ve been meeting my neighbour, Evelyn, once every week or ten days, to discuss what happens when you try to write a novel. Evelyn’s husband Bill passed away two years ago, so everyone around…

EVELYN’S LETTUCE SOUP

INGREDIENTS 300 g butter I medium size onion 1 large potato 1 large head of lettuce 500 ml chicken stock Salt and pepper WHAT TO DO Melt butter in pan Finely chop the onion and add Fry gently until soft …

2019 MY FAVOURITE BOOK

THE WINNER! PICKED IN A DRAW LAST NIGHT OVER MUCH MULLED WINE: THE ART OF DYING BY AMBROSE PARRY SUBMITTED BY @TertuliaBooks CONGRATULATIONS!   THESE WERE THE ENTRIES The prize: hardback copy of The Trout by Peter Cunningham (Arcade…

EVELYN’S SHEPHERD’S PIE

INGEDIENTS 500g minced lamb 1 small onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon celery salt ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ cup water ½ cup /125 ml breadcrumbs 900g…

EVELYN’S CUCUMBER RELISH

THE INGREDIENTS Half a cucumber, thinly sliced 50 g onion cut into fine rings 50 g castor sugar A heaped teaspoon of salt 40 ml wine vinegar OR 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar WHAT TO DO Mix all the above ingredients…

Season 1 Chapter 6
HALF TERM CELEBRATION

THE STORY SO FAR I’m pushing the boat out this evening to mark the fact that Evelyn and I have been meeting since late September and are still on speaking terms. She says she wants to write a novel and would like my advice. In order to help…

EVELYN’S TIPSY CAKE

INGREDIENTS 2 g margarine 2 g sugar 3 eggs 2 f flour Pinch of salt Coffee Whiskey Cream WHAT TO DO Beat butter and sugar Add egg yolks and flour Beat egg whites and add Cook for 30-35 mins at 180…

Season 1 Chapter 5
SOMETHING ELUSIVE

THE STORY SO FAR A couple of months ago, when we were all still clinging to the dying embers of summer, my neighbour, Evelyn, asked me if I would talk to her about what happens when one sits down to write writes a novel. I agreed. Maybe I…

EVELYN’S SMOKED MACKEREL PÂTÉ RECIPE

INGREDIENTS (For 4 people) 4 cooked smoked mackerel An equal weight of crème fraiche Lemon juice Pepper Horseradish sauce WHAT TO DO Skin the mackerel and put into liquidizer Add the crème fraiche Add the juice of half the lemon Add…

Season 1 Chapter 4
PEOPLE

THE STORY SO FAR Ever since she told me she wants to write a novel my neighbour, Evelyn, has been coming over here once a week and I’ve been trying to make helpful suggestions. My family has now begun to refer to me as ‘the professor’. An…

EVELYN’S RECIPE FOR LIMONCELLO

THE INGREDIENTS 150 ml water 200g cane sugar Grated zest and juice of 8 unwaxed lemons 700 ml vodka WHAT TO DO Dissolve water and sugar over medium heat Boil then simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the liquid is syrupy Remove from heat,…

Season 1 Chapter 3
MICK HERRON JOINS THE CONVERSATION

THE STORY SO FAR My neighbour Evelyn wants to write fiction and despite my misgivings I’ve agreed to help her. We’re meeting in my house once very week or ten days, in the evenings. I’m keeping a record of these encounters, and publishing…

Season 1 Chapter 2
ENGAGE WITH THE PAGE

THE STORY SO FAR Our neighbour Evelyn has asked for my help in writing a novel. She tells me she can be the next Margaret Atwood. I’ve agreed to help, despite grave misgivings. To be honest, I’m dreading the next step. I’m…

EVELYN’S SLOE GIN

THE INGREDIENTS 500g ripe sloes* 250g golden castor sugar 1 litre of Cork Dry Gin *Sloes are purple-blue waxy fruits found in autumn on blackthorn bushes. WHAT TO DO Rinse and pick over the sloes, then pat dry in a clean tea towel.…

EVELYN’S OATMEAL BISCUITS

What you need: 225g/8oz Odlums Self Raising Flour 150ml/¼pt Milk (approx) Pinch of Salt 25g/1 oz Shamrock Golden Caster Sugar (optional) 25g/1 oz Butter or Margarine Above quantities may be doubled if you wish!

CREATIVE WRITING
Season 1 Chapter 1

One evening about a month ago I had a visit from Evelyn, our neighbour. She’s a delightful, energetic lady in her late forties who is well known in the area for her amazing, secret recipes.