Ghosts and Lightning (32 page)

I’d like to thank the following people, all of whom helped in some way to get me here, now. First and foremost, a huge thank you to Louise and Brian, me ma and da (for everything) and Fallon and Gary, me sister and brother (for what’s gone and what’s to come). I’d also like to thank Pauline Duffy (for ages I was writing for you), Selina Whiteley (for your belief, forever), Keith Lynch (for advice and clarity), Desmond Barry (for being me first CW tutor, for help getting this book out there and for pointing me towards Cormac McCarthy, who I now know isn’t Irish, despite the name), Rob Middlehurst (for the endless — I certainly hope they’re endless, anyway — discussions, for being a proper Liverpool supporter, and for all the awesome insight and selflessness), the Irish Arts Council (for money when I badly needed it), Francis Bickmore (for the shape), Karolina Sutton (for making me realise saying ‘yes’ straight away isn’t always the best thing to do) and everyone I’ve ever laughed, danced, jammed, protested, drunk or watched wrestling with. Go raibh maith agat.

Trevor Bryne was born in 1981 and brought up in Clondalkin in south Dublin. He attended Trinity College and the University of Glamorgan. He currently teaches creative writing at Glamorgan University.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2009 by Trevor Byrne

All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. Originally published in Great Britain in paperback by Canongate Books Ltd., London.

www.doubleday.com

DOUBLEDAY and the DD colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Byrne, Trevor
Ghosts and lightning / by Trevor Byrne.—1st. ed.
p. cm.
1. Family—fiction. 2. Dublin (Ireland)—Social life and customs—
Fiction. I. Title.
PR6102.Y76G47 2009
823′.92—dc22     2009020031

eISBN: 978-0-385-53163-4

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