This week, at the Tramore Library, the Tramore Writers’ Group launched a clever set of stories in book form – Ferry Tales. These short stories are set in sort of interlinked ideas around the Passage East Ferry.
These stories are fine fiction and it must be stated that the actual Ferry has never broken down as described in these tales, as this ploy, or plot, devise adds a layer of intrigue and panic to some of the narratives.
Sean Kelly, whose musical play got a deserved dramatic reading at the recent Sean Dunne Festival opens the collection with a scene-setter of topical interest with recession and Russian temptresses and boy racers, who turn out to be girl racers. Rachel Boyer, in the second story, opens the way for a chance romance.
Anne Dowling, in her tale, has an undertaker on the ferry who makes a life-affirming decision, because of a goose who shit on the coffin in the hearse. Deirdre O’Maidin further cooks the goose with a Connemara flavour.
Aileen Doyle continues with a Meatloaf song from the first story – A Bat Out Of Hell – as a euphemism for farting. Marie Roche adds another layer of meaning to a dirty weekend away.
Artwork by Tony Cassidy adds an attractive cover to this excellent book.
