Links with Tipperary were present in many guises at the launch of Angela Bourke's The Burning of Bridget Cleary in Dublin earlier this week. Oxford professor Terry Eagleton, author of the best-selling The Truth about the Irish ("a light-hearted A-to-Z for tourists about Ireland"), is originally from Manchester but one set of grandparents hailed from Roscrea, not far from the place where the 1899 murder took place.
Paul Duane, a young director from Cashel currently working with Pat McCabe on Mondo Desperando!, was there too. "It's a fascinating, terrible story," he said. "I read about it a number of years ago and, because it took place only about 15 miles away from where I grew up, I was interested." Angela Bourke is a specialist in Irish oral traditions and a number of figures from the Irish-speaking world came to the launch, among them Deirdre Davitt, deputy head of Bord na Gaeilge. Sinead Mac Aodha, literature officer with the Arts Council, spoke of the parallels between Victorian Ireland and English Asian women being sold into marriages today. "It's still happening," she said. "We can become very complaisant about this."
Roscommon-man Dermot Somers, mountaineer and presenter of TnG's award-winning series, Cuart na Cruinne, was there. So was Seosaimhin Ni Bheaghlaoich, of Raidio na Gaeltachta.
David Marcus, the discoverer of Irish literary talent, was there with his wife, novelist Ita Daly. They're planning a holiday to Venice this year in spite of Marcus's aversion to travel. "I'm hoping to persuade him to go this year," said Daly. "It's going to take just one more little nudge."
Roy Foster was busy launching the book while his wife Aisling Foster was able to relax and talk about Milltown, near Killorglin, Co Kerry, where they're staying on holiday. Her aunt, Sheila Sheehan, a retired neurologist, came back from Detroit and lives there, she says. "It's brilliant down there." As for the weather, "it's always good in Kerry," she says, getting carried away for a second maybe.
It's only a matter of time before the story of Bridget Cleary appears on screen, according to many at the launch.
Luke Gibbons, head of film and television studies at DCU, who is just back from lecturing at New York University, said: "It would be an Irish Jean de Florette."