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When the old meets the new …

Brendan Gerad O'Brien

 

Picture this: Tralee, Ireland Sept 2010. Traffic lights at a major crossroads. A busy railway station on one junction. Cars, lorries, buses coming from four directions.

Our line is waiting for the green light, two rows of purring vehicles anxious to be moving. And at the front of our line – a piebald pony!

There’s no saddle on the pony, no bridle, and no reins. Not even a blanket! All that’s on the pony is a young lad in jeans and a grey hoodie, his legs dangling like bendy matchsticks with outsized trainers on the end of them.

He’s gripping the pony’s mane with one hand, and in his other hand he’s holding a mobile phone to his ear and his head is bopping animatedly as he talks loudly into it.

And unbelievably, I seem to be the only one who is surprised by this. Everyone else in the vehicles around me have looks of total indifference on their faces.

The lights change to green and the lad prods the pony into a canter with his knees and they casually negotiate the intersection, the lad still engaged in a conversation on his phone.

They turn right while I have to go straight on and suddenly they’re lost in the fuzz of activity and I curse silently. Why don’t you ever have a camera when you need one!

Published by Brendan Gerad O'Brien

Born in Tralee, Co Kerry, I now lives in Wales. As a child I spent his summer holidays in Listowel, Co Kerry where my uncle Moss Scanlon had a Harness Maker’s shop which was a magnet for all sorts of colourful characters. It was there that my love of words was kindled by the stories of John B. Keane and Bryan MacMahon, who often wandered in for a chat and bit of jovial banter. I started writing short stories based on those characters and had twenty published in various anthologies and eMags over the years. I’ve now self-published them in a collection called Dreamin’ Dreams which is available through Smashwords.com and Amazon.com, and also as stand-alone items through the same medium. My first novel, a thriller set in Wales during WW2 called Dark September is published by Tirgearr Publishing. Gallows Field is my second thriller and set in Ireland during WW2, and is self-published with Amazon and Smashwords.com

9 thoughts on “When the old meets the new …”

  2. Brendan, my name is Paudie Commane and I run a second hand books shop in Rock Street, Tralee. Your brother Maurice dropped in three of your books to me today. You will find me on facebook @PCommaneBooks or on Google my business P Commane Book Shop. I was going to put the books in the shop window. Can you let me know what you charge for the books?
    Regards
    Paudie

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    1. Hi Paudie, how are things with you? Did you manage to sell the books, and was there any feedback?

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  5. Hi Brendan, I’m a Reedsy Reviewer and I’d be interested in reviewing A Crack in the Ice. I recently reviewed Stones Corner-Turmoil by Jane Buckley and found it excellent. I would love to read more about Ireland. Would you be interested in reading/reviewing my novel, The Lost Wisdom of the Magi, which is a finalist in the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Awards, set during the 1st century Jewish Revolt? Pls contact me on susiehelme@blueyonder.co.uk

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    1. Hi Susie, sorry I took so long to reply but it’s been a bit of a dramatic time here. Thank God Jennifer is recovering from a heart attack that threw us all into a bit of a panic. Anyway, I have to say your book cover looks very impressive and I would love to review the book. Do you read books on a tablet or do you prefer a good old paperback? Either way, I can send you a copy of A Crack in the Ice. I’m happy to buy a paperback copy of The Lost Wisdom – it’s very much the kind of story I like. I hope this finds you in good spirits, and I look forward to hearing from you soon,
      Brendan

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