Munster Express Online

In mid-August it is planned to launch a new book commemorating the life’s work of local writer and creative writing teacher Jim Daly. Jim wrote over seven plays for Waterford Youth Arts including two Theatre in education plays that toured around schools in the south-east and one of his plays ‘ The Land of Stuff’ has since been produced in other parts of Ireland and in Scotland. He was also a good poet and we have reproduced for you one of his poems based on his childhood in the Cork Road (see ‘The Country was Young Then’ below). He also wrote many pieces for local theatre programmes (he was a Board Member and Chairperson of Red Kettle Theatre Company for many years) and he wrote articles for local newspapers and magazines.

Local teacher Robert Browne who has taken it on as a labour of love is editing the book and he is ably assisted by two local writers Mark Roper and Jim Nolan. They are presently reading through much of his life’s work and making the hard decisions about what to include in the final book. Helping Robert on the project is Ollie Breslin and Waterford Youth Arts who are providing some help on the practicalities. As Ollie says “it is important that Jim is remembered in this very artistic way, he made a huge contribution to the City and we want to make sure that the book is a fitting tribute”. Ollie also outlined how local Businesses, Individuals and Local Arts Organisations can help by taking a small advert in the book – “We are keeping the adverts to a small number of pages – enough to see the job printed in a very nice way”. If anyone wants to help in this practical way then they can contact Ollie at 086-1759188 or email ollie@waterfordyoutharts.com or drop a line to WYA, The Arch, Barrack Street.