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Crossing The Water – a new historical novel which paints the picture of Fermoy and the surrounding north Cork area during the struggle for independence in the early 20th century.

A new historical novel paints the picture of Fermoy and the surrounding north Cork area during the struggle for independence in the early 20th century.

The novel, by English author Ian Wilkinson, begins in 1920 as a small boy strolls across the bridge over the River Blackwater in the town.

Suddenly, all hell breaks loose around him as he is caught in the middle of one of the first cross-fires between the Irish Volunteers and the British Army.

The boy was Paddy Ryan, the father-in-law of Ian Wilkinson. Through interviews with Mr Ryan, the author maps out a historical novel that shows the tumultuous times that marked Ireland’s fight for freedom.

He explained: “As a family therapist and Fellow of the British Psychological Society, I already knew that all of us have secrets, and some of us have secret lives.

“Paddy certainly had both – my wife later discovered that he, and therefore she, had been using a false name for most of his and her life!

“His secret life was fascinating, but also typical of his generation, who experienced the war of independence, the great depression and World War Two.

“The story of his life inspired me so much that that I blended it with other true stories into a novel that celebrates the lives of the children of Irish independence.”

The novel has been described as a masterpiece by Professor Alan Carr, from University College Dublin, with the public reviews on Amazon averaging 4.5 out of 5. The action in the Irish parts of the novel occur mostly in rural Cork, in the areas around Fermoy and Mallow, and Dublin.

“As a way of celebrating Paddy’s unique life, and of the dawning of the struggle for Irish Independence, the Kindle version of this book will be available as a free download each and every Sunday in September this year,” Mr Wilkinson added.

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