Brendan Lynch, Mrs Margie Lynch and Minister Dinny McGinley

The first history of Dublin’s “Left Bank” and the first to celebrate Dublin’s UNESCO City of Literature award, PRODIGALS describes the authors and artists who inhabited the area around Baggot Street and the city’s Georgian quarter. These ranged from Oscar Wilde, George Moore and W B Yeats to Samuel Beckett, Brendan Behan  and Maeve Binchy, and included no fewer than four winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature.

The Minister described a PRODIGALS as a

“wonderful celebration of  national treasures”.

He praised Brendan Lynch’s

“insightful, thoughtful and informed writing which would bring the writers to a whole new audience.”

Brendan Lynch said;

“Outside of Paris, there is no city area anywhere in the world which saw such a concentration of talent. These hard-working and frequently deprived men and women were real patriots. Without bombs of guns, they brought honour to Ireland and promoted us internationally. Their work spans the generations and the continents.”

The author added:

“Sadly, sculptor Eamon O’Doherty, who helped me, died before tonight’s launch. Hopefully, Dublin City Council will one day honour his memory by reinstating his wonderful Anna Livia sculpture in O’Connell Street, where it rightly belongs.”

The large attendance included writers Peter Costello, Adrian Kenny Robert Nicholson, Eoin O’Brien, Ulick O’Connor and Noel Kissane and Gerry Lyne, former Keepers of Manuscripts at Dublin’s National Library.

"More, please!" Peadar & Treasa MacManus with Donal Whelan

Author, Brendan Lynch, regales captive audience

Val O'Donnell reads Myles na Gopaleen

Brendan Lynch with artists Noel Lewis (centre) and Brendan Gallagher
(© Margie Lynch, 2011)

Patrick’s death, sad news.

A rare and original man, a beautiful writer, a courageous patriot.

Locked up in my youth for banning bombs, I would like to think that Patrick might forgive my regard for fellow-Englishman, Bertrand Russell.

But possibly not!

Whether or not, his lifestyle and inspiration enlarged my life and imagination. And, vanity being what it is, I am happy to know that he read one of my books.

I shall drink to his health tonight in Dublin. And reflect on his last great journey home to lie forever with his beloved Joan.

Salutations!
Brendan Lynch

(http://patrickleighfermor.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/obituary-from-the-independent-by-paddy-leigh-fermors-biographer-artemis-cooper)

London has Fitzrovia, Paris its Left Bank. But Georgian Dublin boasts an equally atmospheric Bohemian quarter. Centred on Baggot and Leeson Streets, and girdled by the Grand Canal, it is the unmapped village of writers, artists and ne’er-do-wells which in the 1950′s became known as “Baggotonia”.

Its inhabitants and habitués include four winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature and nearly every nineteenth and twentieth century Irish writer of note.

From Oscar Wilde, Oliver St. John Gogarty, George Moore and George Bernard Shaw to Samuel Beckett, Elizabeth Bowen, Seamus Heaney, James Joyce and Flann O’Brien.

And a profusion of artists from Jack B. Yeats to Mainie Jellett and Camille Souter, who painted in the shadow of Francis Bacon’s Baggot Street birthplace.

Brendan Behan’s neighbours included Patrick Kavanagh, Frank O’Connor, Liam O’Flaherty and Mary Lavin. John Banville, Maeve Binchy and Colm Toibín were later arrivals.

Based on interviews and contemporary accounts – and a timely celebration of Dublin’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature – “PRODIGALS AND GENIUSES” is an entertaining and enlightening history of a remarkable time and place.

Foreword writer J. P. Donleavy (author of “The Ginger Man”) described PRODIGALS as an overdue and comprehensive record of a rich period in Irish literary history. He continued:

“Brendan Lynch’s book evokes vibrant memories of an ancient Dublin. And could there be any other city in the world more worth speaking about? Old friends come back to life whose minds still speak from the soul. Ancient sorrows remembered to haunt, but in which a bit of bright light still glows.”

With over 300pp and 120 illustrations, PRODIGALS AND GENIUSES costs €19.95 (Stg£18.95).

ISBN 978-1-905785-96-4.
Publication date: November 2011
Published by: The Liffey Press; David Givens, The Liffey Press, Ashbrook House, 10 Main Street, Raheny, Dublin 5.
Tel: 01-8511458.
Email: theliffeypress@gmail.com.
URL: www.theliffeypress.com

Signed copies (incl hardcover €35) from the author at: mrg_lynch@yahoo.ie

“A riveting story told with panache and conviction,” insisted Senator David Norris who performed the launch.

“I was spellbound by this heroic tale as a child and remember being taken to see the landing site in Connemara. Having read the book, I can say that Brendan Lynch has done their extraordinary feat long-overdue justice.” David Norris

Brendan Lynch paid special thanks to foreword-writer, Len Deighton, and John Alcock’s nephew, Group Captain Tony Alcock, for their help. And to Connemara historian, Marty Conneely, who painted the Derrygimla bog cairn, so that visitors could see where the transatlantic Vimy landed.

Also among the attendance was former racing driver Pearse Cahill of Iona Airways, veteran motorsport  commentator Robin Rhodes, round-the-world solo sailor, Pete Hogan, artists such as Marie Carroll, Dympna O’Halloran and Noel Lewis, and the novelist, Adrian Kenny.

Brendan & Margie Lynch with Senator David Norris

"They landed over there!" Brendan Lynch brings his new book back to Connemara.

Thank you to everyone who helped bring this work to fruition. Your kind help has been acknowledged on pp11-15.

The new book will be officially launched on April 23, 2009. It will be launched in Dublin by Senator David Norris (the senator’s blog) at 1, Kildare St. 6.00pm (more details will be available on this soon).

It is available on Amazon and Waterstone websites (ISBN: 1844256812).

Please contact me directly to obtain a signed copy EU25 (incl S&H).

Regards and many thanks again!

Brendan

Dromineer Literary Festival 2008 with fellow-author James Ryan (left) and Chairman, Pat Kelly (center).

With fellow-racer and Great Train Robber, Roy James