You can’t beat stories!
Pat Critchley, one of Laois’s greatest characters, story tellers and sportsmen, is to launch a new book – a collection of ‘stories, yarns and poems’.
Eleven years after his much acclaimed autobiography Hungry Hill, Critchley is set to release another publication. Bruno is dedicated to his great friend and neighbour Will ‘Bruno’ McEvoy from the lane in Grange, Ratheniska, a remarkable man who died in recent years.
Many stories and anecdotes that didn’t make it onto the pages of Hungry Hill appear in this book along with a selection of Pat’s own reflections and poetry.
“Many is the time I talked, listened and learned from him,” writes Pat in the foreword. “We miss him on the lane.”
Pat also explains how this book came about.
“Many times over the years, after a session of stories, yarns, jokes and lies, people would say “someone should write those down”.
“In my autobiographical book Hungry Hill I did just that. Some people who read the book told me that they laughed at parts of it, some laughed out loud, some cried, some reminisced about years gone by, more reflected a little about life.
This book opens with a chapter on Will ‘Bruno’ McEvoy and takes in chapters on the great Georgie Leahy, Michael ‘Maggie’ Walsh and some of the many wonderful characters that Pat has come across over the years including Paddy Dea, Paddy Sinnott, his uncles Jack ‘the Barbender’ and Tom Keating.
“Bruno will bring a smile to your face and brighten up your day,” says the blurb on the back of the book.
That it certainly will.
It is being launched in the Killeshin Hotel on Thursday, November 28, at 7.30pm. All are welcome to attend.
