KILDARE: New book features memories of four local people

Evening classes always sound like a good idea but the dark evenings can put you off. Not for four writers who decided that this was the time to put their memories and life experiences on paper. John Boyle, Hugh Durnin, Tina Hynes from Naas and Mary Cruise from Athy signed up in October for a memoir class offered by St Mary’s College facilitated by author Maura O’Neill. 

Each week they grew in confidence and stories that were initially reluctant to come to the surface finally made it to a book, Recollections, which is a collection of their work. The launch took place in Kavanagh’s, Naas, supported by family and friends. Each writer read out four stories from their work. 

John brings the reader  back to Belfast in the fifties and sixties where the troubles were beginning to edge more and more into his life and friendships. Mary recalls a beautiful story of a woman making contact with the mother of her adopted baby. Hugh gives a heart-warming description of Christmas in his home where the same Santa resides to this day on the mantlepiece. Tina writes about a beautiful family day on the river during our unusually hot temperatures of last year. Moments they all will never forget. 

This collection is for family and friends so that life’s experiences will never be forgotten. They are now part of conversation, recalling memories for others who shared experiences with the writers.