Local author publishes his first collection of short stories in Irish

A well-known retired teacher, Joe Keating, who spent over 30 years teaching Irish in Our Lady’s Bower Secondary School before retiring in 2022, has published a new collection of short stories.

This collection of short stories entitled Na Bróga Peile agus scéalta eile brings us on various journeys: to the author’s youth in Cork, to Sydney, Australia, to Manchester and London in England, to the Isle of Barra in Scotland, to the GPO in 1916 and to the front lines during the First World War.

The stories feature children, parents, grandparents, friends, teachers and historical figures, each with their own tales to tell. The stories relate to themes such as a young person falling in love for the first time, a distressed student in an exam hall, an illicit kiss, a penalty shootout, young actors going on stage for the very first time and a child who wants a particular pair of football boots more than anything in the world!

They are also about good deeds and bad deeds and there are other stories that simply allow the readers to let their imagination run away with them! The author draws inspiration from childhood memories, ‘what if’ scenarios, moral dilemmas and characters whose voices he wants to be heard.

Na Bróga Peile agus scéalta eile was published by Cló IarChonnacht in An Spidéal, Contae na Gaillimhe in early November and will appeal to teenage readers and anyone who has an interest in Irish language and culture. The book is available now on the publisher’s website cic.ie, in Athlone Library and in The Athlone Bookshop.

Over the years, he encouraged his students in The Bower to get involved in Irish drama and to compose Irish poetry. He also guided them, along with some enthusiastic young actors from Athlone Community College, in their award-winning TG4 Film ‘Bíonn dhá insint ar scéal’ in 2009.

Joe and his students collaborated with Athlone Community Radio and produced his award-winning play about the Titanic disaster ‘Abaigéal is ainm dom’ in 2012. The local station also produced the play ‘Saoirse’ in 2015 and a 1916 commemorative play, ‘Mise Aisling! Mise Éire!’.

Two groups of his Transition Year students took part in the Gael Linn drama/podcast competitions in 2021 and 2022 with their original plays Dúrún Dúnmharaithe and Athrú Intinne. The students who wrote and starred in Dúrún Dúnmharaithe went on to win First prize in the drama/podcast category.

Joe has also published six textbooks for Junior Cycle Gaeilge with Mentor Books.