THE LIMERICK MAGAZINE
The Thing About December was originally scheduled
“For many years this was what prevented my output,”
Ryan believes Limerick’s bid for European Capital of
Lilliput sold the rights of his work to Random House
question myself. I always felt there must be a better
“For anyone who has an artistic mindset but has yet
for publication before The Spinning Heart. When they decided to inverse this schedule.
“In hindsight this was a good idea,” Ryan says. “There
had been a lot of journalistic commentary about the
he remembers. “I would start telling a story and then way of saying something. Trust in myself was so hard to find.”
Culture is a unique opportunity for the region.
to explore it fully I think the opportunity that the bid presents is endless.” he says.
lack of fiction dealing directly with the economic
Ryan has a deep love for Irish writing and believes
“So many talented creatives feel the urge to drop their
my work.”
of fulfilment.
need to play safe. The fact that a place like Limerick,
crash. The publishers saw a gap in the market with
Ryan admits a slight bias of affection towards The
Thing about December. It was a book was rejected on numerous occasions before finally getting the nod for publication.
solely reading Irish literature could lead to a lifetime “People say there is a new ‘movement’ in Irish
writing but I don’t agree,” he says. “This suggests that contemporary Irish writers are all working with the same theme which isn’t the case.”
talent in return for a ‘traditional job’. They feel they
a small city, a scrapper of a city, could win such a prestigious bid would give such a boost not just to the
city but the vast number of talented creatives the city is now generating.”
“The Spinning Heart was created out of a need to
Ryan has recently taken up the position of writer in
Ryan speaks of a deep respect for the likes of theatre
didn’t keep going I would lose the impetus. In some
of Limerick as part of the MA in Creative Writing
group who formed in the middle of the economic
keep momentum going,” he notes. “I felt that if I
ways that initial rejection got to me. I found it so
hard to believe in what I was doing and to see that
there was merit to what I was trying to achieve. The smallest negative thought can have a profound effect on your dreams.”
The Thing About December is based very loosely on real life stories Ryan has encountered down through
the years. He describes the character of Johnsey Cunliffe as a distillation of lots of beautiful souls, men whose voice you won’t hear that often.
“The thing that prevented me from writing for ten
years was the fact that I couldn’t find a story to tell,” Ryan tells me.
“There is something about the infinity of possibilities
that writing fiction offers that constricts your output. The limitlessness offered by the fictional genre can actually end up causing paralysis for the writer. You
residence in the Arts Department of the University
course which is chaired by Joseph O’Connor. The position has allowed him to encounter new young
writers who have challenged his own way of working. “The fact that I am based at UL has allowed me to have a productive structure to my day,” he says.
“I write in the mornings and then spend the afternoon
storm with Myles Breen’s Language Unbecoming a Lady,” he notes.
“There is a performance in the everyday in
in my own process. My productivity as a writer has trebled since I took up the residency. I see it as a godsend.”
Despite having his roots in Tipperary, Donal Ryan has very strong links to Limerick. Creative Limerick
writers such as Gerry Stembridge, Kevin Barry, Paul Lynch and Roisin Meaney are writers who have greatly influenced his work.
“Frank McCourt is one of the reasons I’m a writer.
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afloat. Only recently we saw them take New York by
process with students it allows me to discover flaws
disconnect from my work. As I discuss the writing
ways you can construct a sentence.”
to a fear of actually putting ink on the page.
“They have sailed into stormy waters and stayed
Ryan describes what he sees as an artistic sensibility
“They are all writers with fascinating stories to tell
It is this abundance of possibilities that ironically led
downturn.
working with students. This process allows me to
can find infinite stories and find infinite ways of telling those stories. There is no end to the number of
producers such as Bottom Dog Theatre Company, a
and incredible ways of doing it,” he says.
I often forget to credit his influence because the effect he had on the way I approach writing was so
profound it has almost become part of my make-up, and not something I consciously think about.”
that seems to rise naturally from Limerick people. Limerick. The smallest little thing can become a
fascinating drama. There is an addictive quality to the way Limerick people tell their stories, a sense of
fearlessness that goes back almost a thousand years. Limerick stood against so many invaders and was never conquered. It says it all really.”
Article by: Nigel Dugdale