Dive into Mary Rose Callaghan’s latest tale and celebrate the launch of O Human Child with fellow book lovers!

On Friday the 4th of September, The United Arts Club is pleased to welcome Mary Rose Callaghan for the launch of her new novel, "O Human Child". Book sales will be held from 6:30pm (Revolut and cash are accepted) with the book launch starting at 7pm.

Callaghan’s new novel, O Human Child, set in Galway during Covid, is published by Tribes Press. It tells the story of Margo Hanratty, an artist, who was incarcerated in a Magdalene Laundry at age 15, and illustrates the way in which this trauma has lingered in her life as well as in today’s Irish society. Mary Rose has written ten other novels over five decades.

Her first short story was included in The Wall Reader and Other Stories in 1979, a bestselling anthology edited by the late Eavan Boland and published by Arlen House in 1979. Arlen House and Marion Boyars consequently published Mary Rose’s first novel, Mothers in 1982, followed by Confessions of a Prodigal Daughter in 1985.

Emigrant Dreams, a novel set in America where Mary Rose lived for over twenty years was published by Poolbeg Press and Marion Boyars. This was followed by two novels for young adults, Has Anyone Seen Heather and The Last Summer, published by Attic Press and Poolbeg Press. The Visitors Book followed with Brandon Press in 2001, then Billy Come Home came in 2007, and A Bit of a Scandal in 2010. She has also published Awkward Women with Arlen House in 2023, followed by a memoir, The Deep End, with Menma Press also in 2023.

Description supplied by the event organiser.