Patricia O’Reilly on happy childhood memories of Kerry, the First Rose of Tralee and the county’s sense of identity
“The Kerry Creators Series grew out of a passion to connect with other writers, illustrators and photographers with links to the Kingdom. Kerry’s motto is “Comhar, Cabhair, Cairdeas,” which translates to “Cooperation, Help, and Friendship” and I can think of no better description of the people in this place that, as a blow-in, I’ve come to love.”
Patricia O’Reilly lives in Dublin but her heart lies in Kerry. She spent happy childhood summer holidays with her aunt and uncle in Tralee. Her aunt went daily to ten o’clock mass in St John’s and returned with a selection of friends for tea and chat. They talked about Daniel O’Connell and Mary O’Connor as though they still walked the streets of Tralee. Patricia listened, particularly entranced, by the love story between the servant girl and the young master of West Villa.
Patricia came to writing biographical historical fiction via print journalism, radio documentaries and plays and a few non-fiction books. The idea of writing about Mary O’Connor, who had lived through the Great Famine and became the inspiration for the Annual Rose of Tralee Festival, was long in the making. The First Rose of Tralee, one of Ireland’s greatest and most tragic love stories, launched at Writers’ Week in Listowel. (Ed note: you can read more about Patricia’s brilliant novel about Mary and William, published in 2019 by Poolbeg Press, here)
Q&A
1. You’re taking a writing break in a Kerry café … Where is it? What Kerry author would you be reading? And which Kingdom-inspired dish would you be absolutely unable to resist?
On Denny Street; Brian McMahon’s ‘The Master’; Kerry apple pie.
2. Which month do you love most in Kerry, and why?
June - the start of the school holidays.
3. Who would you rather share a pint of Guinness with: Tom Crean or John B. Keane? Tell us a little more!
John B, of course - he was so much his own person, a great thinker, the essence of a Kerryman and his writings inspire and linger on.
4. Which is your favourite Kerry …
a. Beach? Ballyheigue
b. Drive? Ring of Kerry
c. Hike? I’m not a hiker
d. Bookshop? O’Mahony's, Upper Castle Street, Tralee
5. If time travel allowed you to go back, visit the Blaskets, and give one item and one piece of advice to Peig Sayers, what would they be?
A: I’d give Peig a mobile phone so she could take photos and record her thoughts.
B: Peig doesn’t need my advice.
6. We’re lucky to have Ireland’s mightiest (and highest) peak right here in the county. Have you ever climbed Carrauntoohil? If so, how did it make you feel? If not … would you consider giving it a go?
I know it’s there and hauntingly beautiful. I have no wish to climb it.
7. If you could pick one thing the county could do without, and one thing that it must never, ever lose, what would you choose?
The county could do without its rising crime statistics; Kerry must never lose its sense of identity.
8. Finally …
i. The reeks or the strand? Strand
ii. Dingle or Killarney? Dingle
iii. Blaskets or Skelligs? Blaskets
iv. Black or white pudding? White
v. Kerryman or Kerry’s Eye? Kerryman
vi. Hunter, Dubarry or good old Dunlop? Hunter
vii. Rooster or Kerr’s Pink? Neither
viii. Turf or timber? Turf
ix. Dingle Gin or Skelligs chocolate? Chocolate
x. Fassbender or Buckley? Fassbender
Find Patrica on Twitter/X (@patriciadublin), Instagram (@patriciaoreilly100) and Facebook (@patriciaoreilly), and visit her website (www.patriciaorielly.net) to read about her fiction and non-fiction books, reviews, talks and mentoring.
