Sir, – On November 17th, 2010, Steve MacDonogh of Brandon Books died suddenly, leaving behind a small publishing house and some stunned writers. I had published with Steve since 1988 when he launched my first book To School Through the Fields and 15 books later we had developed a solid working relationship.
Steve’s secretary of long standing Maire Ní Dhalaig and I wondered about the future of Brandon Books. There were a few unsatisfactory overtures but then O’Brien Press appeared on the horizon and things took a positive turn. Michael and Ivan O’Brien went down to the Brandon base in Dingle and after a short time Maire rang to tell me in a relieved voice that “O’Brien Press are behaving very honourably”. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Honourable is a description that is highly desirable but seldom heard in today’s business world.
And so O’Brien Press rescued Brandon Books and now three publications later I agree with Maire that it is an honourable firm.
It has a good team who look after their writers and at this challenging time it is creating a future reading public by investing heavily in books for young people.
It seems incomprehensible that the Arts Council would so drastically withdraw support from a publishing house that is supporting so many Irish writers and engaging the minds of young readers.
Surely it is to everyone’s advantage that our Irish publishing houses be supported so that Irish writers can be published in Ireland and help sustain the Irish economy. – Yours, etc,
ALICE TAYLOR,
Innishannon,
Co Cork.