‘As I Was Going Through Inishowen’: Whimsical new book of verse by Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh

One of Inishowen’s most prolific authors has a whimsical and magical new book out.

Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh’s latest publication – his twelfth in recent years – is a collection of insightful and hilarious local verse, all illustrated beautifully with sketches by Maeve Peoples.

‘As I Was Going Through Inishowen’ features charming Limerick-style witticisms based on almost every town and village across the peninsula.

“As I was going to Muff in the snow; I met a hairy buffalo; He asked the way to the Squealin Pig; So I jumped on his back and we danced a jig,” Ó Dochartaigh writes, in a short ode to Muff.

It’s a meandering journey of rhyme from Ballygorman and Ballymagaraghy to Bridgend and back.

How about? “I went one day to the town of Moville O; To buy myself a feathery pillow; The man in the shop – a skinny fellow – sold me the shell of an armadillo.”

Moville writer and artist Ó Dochartaigh explains how the magical mystery tour of verse first came about.

“I suppose we could have taken any route. It began with me picking up my daughter Katharina in Letterkenny to bring her up to Mossyglen for the weekend. One morning, passing through Muff, Katharina went into peals of laughter at ‘The Squealing Pig’ pub sign.”

“Next trip I began a poem and she chimed in with more lines. It went on like that – a poem for every village we passed.”
“With Katharina so good at art, lyrics and music, we discussed her drawing pictures to go with our texts and thought we might produce a slim volume. I knew she could do it, but the Junior Cert and its associated projects eventually got in our way.”

Cue the introduction of Maeve Peoples for the artwork, as Ó Dochartaigh further outlines.

“My wife Kathryn Daily suggested commissioning our friend Maeve Peoples to illustrate the book. Maeve had trained and worked as an architect, but I didn’t know that she would find Inishowen’s buildings so fascinating, that she would bring her experience so delightfully to the book, or how well her sense of humour perfectly matched the whimsical text!”

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Ó Dochartaigh says the 28-page book will appeal to younger readers, but it’s not only for children. Big kids will love it too!

“We’ve seen it bring smiles and laughter to ‘kids’ of all ages. It was fun to put together, visiting and finding quirky stories and landmarks from a selection of towns around the peninsula. Some are still busy, others not quite the boom-towns they once were, but ringing with echoes of happier times, characters both from the Irish Schools Collection of 1937 and those who emerged from pure imagination as we drove.”

The author praised the designers and printers on the project too.
“The book would also not be what it is today without Anna Henry, who designed the wonderful covers and interior, and Gráinne Gillen, of Foyle Press, who printed it so beautifully.”

‘As I Was Going Through Inishowen’ will be formally launched at the Carndonagh Library on Thursday, 14 August at 3pm. Copies of the book will be available at the launch and on the bookshelves of Carndonagh SuperValu for €12. It is also available online via www.seoirse.com for €15 (to cover postage and processing).