About Me
I'm a Dubliner. I was born in Dublin in 1970, and I still live there.
I was first short-listed for the Hennessy awards in 1995 with my short story, Rosary, and then again for The Soldier's Song in 2003. The Soldier's Song went on to win the Emerging Fiction prize as well as the overall Hennessy New Irish Writing award.
My first novel, also called The Soldier’s Song, was based on this prize-winning short story and was published to wide acclaim in 2010. It was subsequently shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards and was followed by The Soldier’s Return (2011), and the Soldier’s Farewell (2012). These three novels comprise an epic trilogy that explores the most tumultuous period of Irish history, from the Great War through the War of Independence to the Irish Civil War.
I have also contributed book reviews to both the Irish Independent and the Sunday Business Post.
I am currently working on a new novel about Irish involvement in the Spanish civil war.
You can check out my author's page on Pan Macmillan here.
Career Milestones
Hennessy Literary Awards Shortlist
April 2003
Hennessy Literary Awards Winner
Shortlisted once again for the Hennessy Literary awards, this time in the Emerging Fiction category. My Short story The Soldier's Song, which is centred on the execution of the novelist and Irish Republican Erskine Childers, goes on to win both the Emerging Fiction prize and the Overall Hennessy New Irish Writing Prize.
My first appearance in print. My short story Rosary is published in the Irish Sunday Tribune and shortlisted for the Sunday Tribune Hennessy Short Story Awards Best First Fiction category. The Hennessy awards is one of the most prestigious Irish literary prizes. Previous winners include Joseph O'Connor, Niamh Boyce and Colum McCann.
March 1995
Michael McLaverty Awards Shortlist
November 2008
My short story The Roadmenders, about the death of the war poet Francis Ledwidge, is shortlisted for the Michael McLaverty Short Story Awards in 2008.
January 2010
The Soldier's Song
My first novel The Soldiers Song is published to wide acclaim by Pan Macmillan.
June 2011
The Soldier's Return
The Soldier's Return, part two of the Soldier's Song trilogy, is published.
November 2011
Irish Literary Awards
The Soldier's Song is shortlisted for the Irish Literary Awards in the Best Newcomer category.
November 2012
The Soldier's Farewell
The final part of the Soldiers Song trilogy, The Soldier's Farewell, is published by Pan Macmillan.