Читать книгу Belfast Days - Eimear O’Callaghan - Страница 7

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For as long as I remember I have dreamed of writing a book but before 15 June, 2010 I never planned writing this one. The seed for Belfast Days was planted that day when The Irish Times published an article I wrote about the Bloody Sunday Inquiry Report, containing extracts from my teenage diary.

It was the first time that I shared the diary’s contents with anyone. I am indebted to The Irish Times editor Geraldine Kennedy who made space for the article that would arouse curiosity about my journal at home and further afield. A special mention must also go to BBC producer, J.P. Devlin, who gave me an opportunity to speak about it on Radio 4 and was the first person to suggest I should write a book.

Laurel Holliday, initially a stranger living on the west coast of America, also deserves my thanks. The author of the Children in Conflict series tracked me down via the internet after hearing my radio interview and has been unstinting in her advice, support and encouragement ever since.

My heartfelt thanks are owed to the wonderful people at Irish Academic Press/Merrion. I thank Conor Graham in particular for understanding and caring about this book from the moment he received my manuscript. Conor, Lisa Hyde and Maria McGuinness have earned my deepest gratitude for all they have done to make this book the best it can be.

My dear friend and long-suffering colleague Paul McFadden accompanied me on each step of this journey, reading and re-reading every line of each page. He restored my faith in the book when my belief faltered. For his endurance, judgement and candour, I am forever in his debt.

Finally, and most importantly, I have to thank my family. I will always be grateful to my parents, Jim and Maura, for loving and protecting my brothers and me during the darkest days of Northern Ireland’s history and for encouraging in me a love of the written word.

This book would not have been possible without the enduring love and support of my husband, Paul McElhone, and our next generation, Maura, Paul and Orla, of whom I am so proud. Thank you all for waiting on me patiently through long days and late nights. A special thanks, too, to our old dog Dustin for keeping me company when the others went to bed.

Thank you all for convincing me I could finish the book and for being a daily reminder of why it matters.