A NORWEGIAN author is set to pay a visit to Limerick to get some Shannonside inspiration for his upcoming novel, and has put the call out to Treaty City locals to help set the stage for his new book.
Kjell Erling Bardal is currently working on his fourth novel, tentatively titled En gate i Limerick (A Street in Limerick), and will see the main character of his previous book Café Tivoli, Paddy O’Neill – a former IRA gunman and Sinn Féin party member – return to his hometown of Limerick.
Mr Erling Bardal has said he will pay a visit to Limerick as a source of inspiration for the book, telling the Limerick Post that he is looking for the help of readers to pick a street for one of the book’s primary settings.
Mr Erling Bardal told this reporter that he was looking for local knowledge of streets he could visit when he touches down in his protagonist’s hometown.
“I need the name of a street where I can let my character, Paddy O’Neill, grow up,” he said.
“When I arrive to Limerick to do my research, I will assess which street I shall choose to be my “street in Limerick”.
The author said he may divine inspiration from a combination of streets, “but I need names of streets to choose from, streets I can visit”.
The Norwegian writer said that he was inspired to pick Limerick as the setting for his latest book after reading Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, which he said is very popular in Norway.
A Street in Limerick’s plot sees Paddy O’Neill return to Limerick to seek revenge for the death of his father, who starved himself in an English prison in the 1980s. Paddy used to be an IRA soldier and a member of Sinn Féin, Mr Erling Bardal said.
As part of seeking readers suggestions for Limerick locations, Mr Erling Bardal says he is also looking for personal stories of people who grew up in Limerick.
“I hope readers can contribute with episodes from growing up in their street, things that made the street special. It can be anywhere in the town, but maybe not in a nicer area of the city,” the author said.
“Maybe a special house, strange activities, or original (peculiar) people. Anything of interest,” the author suggested.
Those interested in sharing their stories and street names with Mr Erling Bardal can reach him on [email protected].
