Paddy
Published on 20. June 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
336 pages
978-1-0358-6117-0 (ISBN)
Description
PADDY
Do we ever know what s really going on in someone s head?
Based on true events and set in the early 2000s, Paddy is a story about a young man from The Liberties in Dublin suffering with poor mental health, who travels to Amsterdam with his drug-dealing best friend and his anti-drugs activist brother.
The consequences of the journey are life-changing for them all.
The Liberties Trilogy is a series of stories about the values of characters who grew up in the heart of inner-city Dublin in the 1980s against the backdrop of high unemployment, a heroin epidemic, political corruption, an over-influential church, the Troubles and HIV/AIDS crisis.
PRAISE FOR PADDY:
Paddy is a remarkable insight into the social narrative of the time, charmingly walking the double-edged sword of great personal conflict and the Irish sense of humour. my sister-in-law
If this book had been written in the eighties, it would have been banned. my friend
Every parent should read this. - my sister
A whirlwind of emotions. - my other sister
It s very raunchy, Christopher. my 78-year-old aunt
It made me cry. my other half
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
512 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0358-6117-0 (9781035861170)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Chris Curran grew up in The Liberties, Dublin, during a time of turmoil and transformation. Inner city Dublin communities were ravaged by high unemployment, a heroin epidemic, overshadowed by the conflict in Northern Ireland, and shaped by the dominance of the Catholic Church.
The media sensationalised fear of the AIDS crisis terrorised young developing minds, political corruption was rampant, and for gay men, simply existing was a crime in the eyes of the law.
A first-time novelist with a background in IT consulting and software development, Chris has long been an advocate for social change, dedicating most of his career to public service and representation.
Through sensitively crafted scenes, he vividly contrasts the weight of 1980s Irish conservative conditioning with the more liberal Dutch society during a trip to Amsterdam in the early 2000s.
Blending tragedy and humour, he explores the deep-seated inner conflicts this conditioning creates and its lasting impact on some men s mental health.