For one Armagh woman, The Troubles created a “ripple effect” that she couldn’t ignore. She noticed the long-lasting aftermath in the way people interacted with one another, in the way they treated themselves, but most of all, she saw the “recovery”.
To Kate McGrail (nee McLoughlin), it was worth sharing her view of life in the Orchard county during Northern Ireland’s most turbulent political times.
She spent the last five years penning her memories to develop a tongue-in-cheek novel based on her own real-life experiences, ‘Beyond the Wall’.
Kate grew up in Armagh, but left age 18 and moved to London only returning around the time of the ceasefire in 1996.
She remembers – as many will – the days of walking to school past the army barracks and being stopped to have her schoolbag searched. She remembers bomb scares in school, where teachers would scramble to evacuate pupils and the general chaos that permeated everyday life.
Speaking to Armagh I, Kate said writing a novel was a “bucket list” dream. She was awarded a scholarship with the John Hewitt Writing School in Armagh which laid the foundations for her debut work.
Her novel, based on those trying times, is set in Northern Ireland, 1973. It depicts the Rooney family “torn between the violence outside and the secrets within” and their struggle to hold onto hope behind the barricades of Creevy Park.
Kate’s protagonist character, Molly Rooney, navigates a world of bomb scares, army patrols, and “whispered secrets”.
The book’s synopsis says Molly is “haunted by anxiety and burdened with things she cannot tell anyone, she finds herself drawn ever closer to the danger she is trying so desperately to escape”.
One of the book’s key themes is in the exploration of addiction and substance abuse. Kate uses the character of Danny Rooney to highlight the plight of many during those traumatic times, in turning to self-medication to stem their anxieties.
While the book touches upon the grave and serious, she stresses that it is a “humourous” human tale that will resonate with anyone no matter their background or belief.
As a grandmother, Kate is also acutely aware that the emerging generations have – thankfully – no memory of those days. They rely on the stories and learnings of those who lived it, which is why she feels books like hers hold so much weight.
Delighted by the early success of her first ever novel, Kate says she has been blown away by the global interest in her writing, with sales already coming in from as far as Australia, Belgium and Italy.
After half a decade of staying committed to her labour of love, Kate decided to push on with self-publication rather than wait for the nod of approval from a publisher.
She’s convinced she did the right thing and hopes her journey will inspire other wannabe writers to turn their ideas into paperback reality!
Beyond the Wall is now available to buy locally in Macari’s Newsagent, Rocks’ Newsagents and the Post Office on Barrack Street.
You can also make a purchase via Amazon here.
