Loodeen Winders - Lewy, six years of age - is growing up sharp. It's the turbulent early 1920s in a market town in the west of Ireland. Free State soldiers patrol in front of the Workhouse. Lewy's worried about his father's car being commandeered again. The nuns loom over Lewy and his classmates, amongst them the orphans - those shadowy figures, 'slobbery and weak and raggy'. Encounters with Violet and 'Brazenface' Rosaleen McInally in the woods play on Lewy's mind, even while he's trying to fathom the death of his beloved Grandfather. For a treat he goes behind the screen at the Pictures where his father creates the sound effects with his 'Jazzdrums' for the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Lewy's mother works magic on the sewing machine and picks up the pieces when things get out of hand - like the time he breaks his arm walking the wire in their backyard circus. On the fortieth anniversary of Eoghan O Tuairisc's death, this is the first appearance in English of the frank, funny voice of Lewy, a vital witness of his place and time.

‘Eoghan Ó Tuairisc is an Irish writer of the highest importance in 20th century Irish literature, and this excellent and fascinating translation of An Lomnochtán … is a timely and important contribution to the maintenance of his reputation.’ Michael Harding; ‘In language that manages to be flamboyant and yet completely controlled, Ó Tuairisc has taken us right into the mind of a child. Reminiscent of the early chapters of Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist, this sharply observed, funny and moving story is one of Ireland’s great overlooked classics.’ Christine Dwyer Hickey, author of Tatty, Dublin One City One Book 2020; ‘Particularly in times of confusion, like today, writers of quality, like Eoghan Ó Tuairisc, can disappear through the cracks. He is such a good writer that his neglect makes you wonder about the way we evaluate art in our time.’ Thomas Kilroy; ‘An Lomnochtán is one of those experimental but extremely readable novels of childhood but without the usual angst of growing up characteristic of the clichéd novel. It captures the wonder and puzzlement of a young child cast into the world but not quite knowing what it is about. It is humorous, quirky and all too understanding about a period in life which we have all experienced. One feels that Eoghan Ó Tuairisc had fun when writing it, and it must be that Mícheál Ó hAodha had too when working on this translation as it is entirely in the spirit of the original and brings across to us in playful and simple language the wonder of this world.’ Alan Titley, translator (The Dirty Dust; The Dregs of the Day by Máirtín Ó Cadhain); ‘An Lomnochtán is probably the most unusual – and perhaps the most interesting – of Eoghan Ó Tuairisc’s novels. Mícheál Ó hAodha’s translation captures perfectly Ó Tuairisc’s unique take on the voice of the young boy as he negotiates the world around him.’ Áine Ní Ghlinn, Laureate na nÓg; ‘An Lomnochtán is rarely read today in the original Irish and its stylistic revolt against the accepted idiomatic use of native (or near-native) Irish idiom was a Modernistic step too far for most readers at the time. Ó hAodha’s translation will serve to introduce new readers to Ó Tuairisc and hopefully inspire translations of the rest of his remarkable oeuvre.’ Gabriel Rosenstock, poet; ‘A unique portrayal of Irish provincial life as elucidated in one child’s hopes and fears in an Ireland on the cusp of new beginnings. Powerful, dreamlike – Ó Tuairisc’s An Lomnochtán is a fascinating exploration of one boy’s sexual and metaphysical awakening, the complexities of history and its legacy, and the tribal secrets frequently left unspoken.’ Adrian Duncan, novelist

Author - Eoghan O Tuairisc (1919-1982), born Eugene Rutherford Louis Watters in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, built a reputation as an innovative stylist in Irish and English. O Tuairisc's work includes poetry, drama, short stories, novels, essays and lectures in both languages. A primary school teacher, writer of pantomimes, modernist poet and inaugural Aosdana member, he was always breaking literary moulds. Selected works: L'Attaque (1962), Lux Aeterna (1964) The Week-End of Dermot and Grace (1964), De Luain (1966) Translator - Micheal O hAodha was born in Galway and grew up between the west of Ireland and the north of England. He is a prolific translator as well as an Irish-language poet and writer with a particular interest in the Irish-speaking minority of the west of Ireland, Travellers and Irish emigrants. Two of his most recent acclaimed translations include This Road of Mine (Lilliput, 2020) and Exiles (Parthian, 2020).