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Irish Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Niall Williams's Time of the Child wins Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award
Niall Williams has won the 2025 Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award, worth €20,000, for Time of the Child at a ceremony on the opening night of the Listowel Literary Festival in Co Kerry. This year's adjudicators, authors Carol Drinkwater and Paul McVeigh, reviewed more than 50 submitted novels before selecting the winner from a powerful shortlist that included Christine Dwyer Hickey, Joseph O'Connor, Colm Tóibín and Donal Ryan. 'Judging the prize this year was no small task,' McVeigh said. 'The quality of the entries was superb, a testament to an extraordinary time in Irish literature. Any of the shortlisted books could have won but, in the end, Time of the Child by Niall Williams rose to the top. I don't remember the last time I read a book that made me stop, so frequently, unable to continue until I had savoured a sentence. He is an extraordinary writer and a worthy winner of the Irish Novel of the Year.' Drinkwater said: 'Niall's writing is so exciting. It is exquisite. Reading his sentences was like sitting in a magnificent cathedral and listening to a great soprano singing, notes reaching to the rafters and returning to me, to nestle in my heart. It is a novel full of compassion. The characters are so vulnerable, they tear you apart. It has been several weeks since we chose Niall's novel as our winner. Still, I sit at my desk and picture myself in that doctor's surgery. I hear the child crying; I can smell the newly washed nappies; I long for these people, that father and daughter, to be given the miracle they so crave.' READ MORE Reviewing it for The Irish Times, Sarah Gilmartin praised the lushness and lyricism of the language and called it 'a warm and life-affirming story about ordinary people going to extraordinary lengths. 'Set during the advent season of 1962 in the fictional village of Faha on the west coast of Ireland, the grimly familiar scenario of an abandoned baby becomes fresh again through the heroic acts of a local doctor and his eldest daughter, as depicted by a writer who has long been interested in the wonders of the everyday.' Time of the Child is the 11th novel of the Dublin-born writer, who turns 67 next month, and his third set in the fictional village of Faha, west Clare. He has long lived in Kiltumper, Co Clare, with his wife Christine Breen. His 1997 debut novel, Four Letters of Love, has been made into a film starring Pierce Brosnan, Gabriel Byrne and Helena Bonham Carter. It will be released in July. 'I am the great unknown novelist,' Williams told interviewer Roisin Ingle last October , laughing. 'Even after being longlisted for the Booker ,' his wife added, talking about Williams's first book set in Faha, History of the Rain, which was published in 2014. 'It took me a long time to have the confidence to write [about rural Clare] in fiction, after living it for years. Because Ireland has moved on and the intelligentsia in Ireland has really moved on. So, writing these stories, you were going to be viewed as sentimental, nostalgic ... or people would think it's not real.' Whether real or not, it has certainly paid off.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Meet the former EFL star who now charges £15,000 as a keynote speaker: Paul McVeigh opens up on 'second life' and reveals how teams can cope with the pressure of a play-off final
Paul McVeigh looked around the Tottenham dressing room for the first time. The Northern Irishman, then 17, saw Sol Campbell, Jurgen Klinsmann and Teddy Sheringham among others. 'I didn't realise I had an inferiority complex,' McVeigh, who moved to England in his teens after growing up in Belfast, tells Mail Sport. 'All these top players, they're all lovely off the pitch so that wasn't the intimidating part. 'It was more the fact that I'd come from Belfast and I was one of only a few in our youth team who wasn't an English lad and assured in their own ability. 'Being around some of the best players in the world was really challenging for me.' A friend then urged McVeigh - who went on to have a hugely impressive career for the likes of Spurs, Luton and Norwich - to read a book on performance psychology and mindset. Awaken The Giant Within by Tony Robbins, a renowned self-help guru, author and motivational speaker, was the recommendation. That 'opened the floodgates' as McVeigh admits, and led him on a journey of discovery. 'Maybe my friend saw something I was lacking,' adds McVeigh, who is intriguing company. 'I then had this real fascination of what is it that people are doing? Why are some people successful and other people aren't? Why isn't talent enough? 'It made me realise we're (footballers) all technically and physically at a level. From my perspective, I was always the smallest player in the team at five foot six, so what could I do to try and get an advantage over these other players?' That journey took McVeigh through a career that saw him represent Northern Ireland 20 times, play in the Premier League and win two titles with Norwich, where he holds legendary status. He retired in 2010 at the age of 32 after Norwich won League One in an attempt to finish on a high and also start his 'second life'. McVeigh, who is the first Premier League footballer to secure a Masters degree in psychology, is now one of the most respected keynote speakers and performance psychologists around. Such has his success been that the 47-year-old charges £15,000 per speech and possesses blue-chip clients including PWC, Microsoft, Investec and KPMG. 'It really does come down to the limits we place on ourselves,' adds McVeigh, who also works with one Championship club. 'That's one of the things that I talk about with my corporate clients. 'In that world, like the football world, there's a huge emphasis on technical quality to do the role. If you ask any player or coach, what do they spend 95 per cent of their time on? It's training and reinforcing technical and physical aspects, but the psychological aspect, how much time are players working on that? 'In my experience of having been in this world for 30 years, very little, if not nothing at all and it's the single greatest area of improvement and it's also the greatest point of differentiation. 'The same thing applies in the corporate world. If you have a brilliant accountant who's physically capable of doing the job, what's the difference? Why is one firm better than the other? 'And again it comes back to psychology. And all of these things are so far down the pecking order in an organisation and I'm constantly trying to bump it up and get it to the top.' The £15,000 McVeigh, who is also an author, is able to charge is an eye-watering figure, but again it has all developed as a result of his mindset. 'When I stopped playing I went on a course in America and I was learning how to deliver a keynote speech from a guy who was at the time charging $10,000 an hour,' he explains. 'I'd never been paid one pound to speak in public, and I was learning from a guy who charged them $10,000 an hour! So you can see how my belief would be like, how is that possible? $10,000 an hour? That is something I'd love to do one day.' McVeigh's first booking raked in £3,000 after he was initially unsure on what to charge. 'After that, I was like 'now I'm a three grand an hour speaker'. That was my figure through that first year and suddenly I became quite confident. 'I felt like my beliefs were growing, I liked what I was doing. And of course, I'm trying to put up my fee, and it goes up to £3,500. 'Then I got my Masters in psychology so I thought maybe I should put my fee up again. And then again, it keeps going up based on my self-belief and the companies I work for. So I'm constantly challenging my limited beliefs and what I think I'm worth.' McVeigh, who also has a degree in sports science, readily admits psychology and mindset was never a priority for clubs during his playing days and he went above and beyond to focus on his own headspace. The psychology departments clubs now possess are significantly larger than ever before, and McVeigh is full of belief that the footballing world has so much to share with the business world. They are likely to be hard at work ahead of a bumper Bank Holiday weekend of EFL play-off finals, matches that have so much riding on them. McVeigh was on the losing side in 2002 when Norwich lost the Division One final to Birmingham on penalties, although he quips it was probably his best ever game for the Canaries. So, what advice would he have for the six teams stepping out at Wembley over the next few days? 'The problem when it comes to this is players end up playing the occasion and not going out to do what they know they're capable of,' he explains. McVeigh urged those in play-off finals to focus on playing the game rather than the occasion 'That's generally why players get caught up in this situation of either feeling nervous or anxious and it's nothing to do with the game. 'It's more to do with the meaning the player has given to what's happening on the pitch because ultimately, the game is always the same, whether you're in training or in a match. 'Yes there's more riding on it, but I suppose the skillset of a professional is realising they can go in and play games. 'And no matter if it is the biggest moment of their career or a training game, they need to still go and perform at that level.'
Irish Independent
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Who made the shortlist for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award?
Now celebrating its 31st year, the award continues to honour exceptional fiction from Irish writers and remains a standout moment in the country's literary calendar. Sponsored by Kerry Group, the award carries a total prize fund of €22,000, with €20,000 awarded to the winner and €500 for each shortlisted author. This year's adjudicators are acclaimed authors, Carol Drinkwater and Paul McVeigh. They reviewed over 48 submitted novels and carefully selected five outstanding titles that reflect the strength, imagination, and storytelling brilliance of contemporary Irish fiction. The shortlist for the 2025 Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award is: Christine Dwyer Hickey – Our London Lives (Atlantic Books, 2024); Joseph O'Connor – The Ghosts of Rome (Harvill Secker, 2025); Colm Tóibín – Long Island (Picador and Pan Macmillan, 2024); Niall Williams – Time of the Child (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024), and Donal Ryan – Heart, Be At Peace (Penguin Random House, 2024). Catherine Keogh is Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Kerry Group. She said the company's 31-year partnership with Listowel Writers' Week stands as a testament to its enduring belief in the power of storytelling to inspire and connect. 'Each year, the calibre of literary talent and vision among the shortlisted writers astounds us, and this year is no exception. We extend our congratulations to all of this year's nominees and eagerly await the announcement of the winning work later this month,' she said. Ned O'Sullivan, Chairperson of the Board of Listowel Writers' Week, said the award is a valued part of our festival's celebration of Irish writing, and he thanked Kerry Group for their continued and generous support. 'Congratulations to the five shortlisted authors, your novels reflect the richness and diversity of contemporary Irish fiction, and we're proud to honour your work here in Listowel,' he said. The winner will be announced on 28 May 2025, at the festival opening night event in the Listowel Arms Hotel. For more information and festival updates, visit
Irish Examiner
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
10 highlights of Cork World Book Fest this weekend
Book Launch: Prisoner's Bodies by Oisin Wall, 5pm on April 25, the Dora Allman Room, The HUB, UCC Admission: Free Prisoners' Bodies is the first book on the history of the prisoner-driven movement that sought to revolutionise the prison system in Ireland between 1972 and 1985. The book, which charts the rise and fall of prisoners' organisations, their changing social networks, tactics, and splits, will be launched by prison historian Professor Catherine Cox; activist with the Irish Penal Abolition Network Dr Elizabeth Kiely; and Michael Donnelly who will speak about his experiences in Irish prisons in the 1980s. Irish Food History: A Companion, 5pm on April 25, The Farmgate Admission: Free One for the seasoned foodies, keen historians, and those merely curious about life, Irish Food History: A Companion takes the reader on an expert journey through Ireland's culinary past. Martin Mac an Iomaire and Grace Neville chat with Joe McNamee about Irish Food History: A Companion, winner of the Food & Drink book of the year 2024. Spoken Stories: Navigating the imaginative breadth of what it means to be alive today, 8pm on 25 April, Triskel Admission: €5 Commissioned from some of the most dynamic contemporary writers associated with Ireland and the short story, Spoken Stories is a theme-led trilogy of 36 original stories. Nuala O'Connor, Paul McVeigh, and Cork's own Colm Ó Ceallachain gather at the Triksel to tell tales, hosted by RTÉ culture and arts producer and editor Clíodhna Ní Anluain. Book Market on the Grand Parade, 10am to 4pm on April 26, Grand Parade Admission: Free Pop along to the annual book market, which offers an array of literary finds from some of the finest book sellers in Cork city and county. There will also be food to go on Grand Parade, as well as some produce and craft stalls. Get Published Day: Meet the Agents, 10am on April 26, Cork City Library Admission: Free People are invited to join Vanessa Fox O'Loughlin with Simon Trewin and Nicky Lovick at Cork City Library to find out what is required in a submission package and how to increase chances of success. One City One Book: Stone Mad by Seamus Murphy, 2pm on April 26, Cork Public Museum, Fitzgerald's Park Admission: Free Cork City Libraries' One City, One Book for 2025; Stone Mad by Seamus Murphy, published by Mercier Press, marks the 50th anniversary of the famous sculptor's death with a book launch by Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin and a walking tour with Eoghan Daltun. Seamus Murphy, Stone Mad. Beautiful, Wilful & Adrift, 7pm on April 26, Triskel Admission: €5 Irish novelists Kathleen Murray and Lisa Harding discuss their works with fellow writer Paul McVeigh. The conversation will discuss Murray's tragicomedy, her colourful players, and celebration of the heroism involved in fraternal love. Buile Shuibhne: Sweeney's Madness, 8.30pm on April 26, Triskel Admission: €5 People are invited to experience, for the first time in Cork, the multi-media staging of Sweeney's Madness featuring modern Irish and Scottish Gaelic versions by poet Rody Gorman, with live music by composer Seán MacErlaine and singer Diane Ni Channáin and screen projections by artist Margaret Lonergan. The Best of Everything, 3pm on April 27, River Lee Hotel Admission: Free, booking essential Award-winning writer Kit de Waal and Paul McVeigh discuss de Waal's latest novel The Best of Everything which is released this month. Kit de Waal's debut novel My Name Is Leon was an international bestseller. It was adapted for television by the BBC and is now on the GCSE curriculum for schools. Crime Time at the River Lee, 4.30pm on April 27, River Lee Hotel Admission: Free, booking essential Catherine Ryan Howard and Catherine Kirwan both celebrate their new thrillers, which are published this month. In a discussion with Swirl and Thread blogger Mairéad Hearne, they discuss how they continue to create suspense, page-turning, ingenious plots, and gripping conclusions.
BBC News
24-03-2025
- BBC News
Four jailed after £1m worth of cannabis found hidden in candles
Four men who hid cannabis with a street value of £1m in pots disguised as candles have been 182kg of cannabis resin was seized by Border Force officers at Tilbury Docks in Essex, on 17 April 2023, Merseyside Police pots - disguised as Citronella candles - had been imported from Malaga, Spain, and were destined for business premises in Bootle, Insp Paul McVeigh said the case showed how cannabis was a "drug with concrete links to serious, organised crime". The four men, from Merseyside and West Yorkshire, were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Hannah, 56, of Liverpool Road, Lydiate on Merseyside, was sentenced to four years and three months after he pleaded Garbutt, 64, of Middleton Park Road, Leeds, was jailed for six years, while Raja Hamid Ali, 39, of Thornbury Ave, Bradford, was sentenced to five years and six Ali, 28, of Kenley Mount, Bradford, was also sentenced to four Insp McVeigh said: "The quantities of drugs being imported were significant and the group stood to make a great deal of money from selling it on the streets of Merseyside via other criminals."This is yet another example where cannabis is proven to be a drug with concrete links to serious organised crime, and in fact is not a harmless drug at all." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
