Limerick Profile - Michael Moloney - Limerick-born author

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Written by Rachael Finucane

Wednesday, 17 June 2009

MICHAEL Moloney has drawn on his own experiences visiting Zimbabwe in 1980, just after Robert Mugabe came to power in the country, to write his first novel-a tense, political thriller.
   Michael-originally from Pennywell Road but now living in Dublin-first decided to write 'The Delegation' in 2000 but said the book was “knocking around” in his mind for much longer.
   “In began working with a new small agency called DevCo in 1979; that was short for 'development co-operation' and it aimed to establish technical co-operation links between the semi-state sector in Ireland and the para-statal sector in developing countries. I was part of a delegation that visited Zimbabwe in 1980. Being there was really interesting. It was the first visit by an Irish group,” he explained.
   “I met only one black man in a position of power in my visits to the ministries. Over the next trips to Zimbabwe I had the opportunity to witness the changes in who occupied the desks in the various government offices. Over the next two years I visited Zimbabwe a number of times and, I'm proud to say, I put together the first training programme that brought a group of Zimbabweans to Ireland in the early 1980s.”
   He said that many episodes in the novel were inspired by real people, accounts and events over several visits to Africa and it “is a mixture of memory and imagination”.
   “The 'memory' part draws on incidents that happened to me not just in Zimbabwe but also in other parts of Africa and even draws on a story that I was told when I worked in Shannon Development about an event that happened in County Clare. All of the characters are entirely fictitious except for those who are part of history. Bishop Lamont lived out his final days about a mile from where I live: and Robert Mugabe continues to wield power. The 'imagination' part was a wonderful experience and I was fortunate in that the characters 'walked' onto the pages and I really felt that they had a life of their own,” he added.
   Michael said that while the first draft was easy to write, the research, checking and re-writing was challenging.
   “The hard part is refining it and trying to get the work published. It's hard for writers. If you look into it, a lot of publishers won't take unsolicited manuscripts. I've actually started another book on a completely different subject. I have 30,000 words of that done but it's on hold while I'm working on 'The Delegation'.”
   The book has been praised by award-winning writer, Vincent McDonnell-who said he “couldn't put it down”-and well-known author, Des Kenny, called it a “wonderfully vibrant read”.
   Michael-who has lived in the capital for 34 years-runs his own PR company, Setanta Communications and started in that area with Shannon Development in 1973 and also worked for the Youth Employment Agency, among others.
   He visits his hometown regularly and his wife, Triona, is also from Limerick.
   “I love coming down to Limerick. My mother and father gave us a huge sense of pride about the county, the sporting success and achievement here. There's a great buzz, just being here.”
   He added that one of his future ambitions is to visit Zimbabwe, which has been ravaged by civil war, political unease and hyperinflation again.
   “It would be a marvellous outcome for the novel if it were to help stimulate more interest in what is happening in Zimbabwe. It has deteriorated with war. I'd like to see human rights restored there because myself and many others have seen the destruction of a wonderful country. When I was there the currency was on a par with the Irish pound but now inflation has run riot. There is a serious problem with cholera. I'm very sad to see what's happening there.”
   'The Delegation' is available in the Hunt Museum Shop and is expected to be available in other local bookshops soon. For more information, see www.plasseypublishing.ie.

   Michael Moloney.
   Public Relations advisor/author.
   Dublin, via Pennywell.
   The passion for sport and huge pride.
   People shouldn't get defensive about some of the nonsense in the media about Limerick.

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