SINCE moving to Donegal, author and international media correspondent, Sean Hillen, has used what he terms “this wondrous and idiosyncratic corner of Ireland” as settings in his novels.
And now he’s poised to tell the world of literature about his place of inspiration after being selected as guest speaker at the upcoming International Dublin Writers’ Festival.
Launched in 2015 by multi-book award-winning author Laurence O’Bryan, the festival with writers from around the world takes place in Trinity College, whose former students included Nobel laureate Samuel Beckett, playwright Oscar Wilde, Dracula author Bram Stoker, and satirist Jonathan Swift. Festival speakers have included Pulitzer Prize winners, as well as national Irish Book Award winners.
“I’m delighted to be asked to speak at such a prestigious event,” said Sean, who was foreign correspondent both for The Irish Times and The Times newspapers in eastern Europe after the fall of Communism.
“I’m even more delighted to talk about west Donegal and how inspiring its rugged natural scenery is to artists of all kinds.”
Sean now lives in Brinaleck in Gaoth Dobhair with his Transylvanian wife, Columbia, a photographer and medical herbalist, and his two dogs, Einstein, whom he found abandoned in a Romanian village, and Lugh, a collie named after the Celtic Sun God.
Both his contemporary novel ‘Pretty Ugly,’ and his last book, a novella entitled ‘Driver’s Diary’ about the assassination of Irish rebel leader, Michael Collins, are based in great part in Gaoth Dobhair.
Sean Hillen with award-winning crime writer, John Connolly.
A former medical and science correspondent in the United States who also worked at the United Nations Media Centre in New York, Belfast-born Sean wrote ‘Pretty Ugly’ after learning about how the powerful and rich cosmetics industry in the US has prevented people from knowing about the dangerous toxic chemicals in everyday cosmetics.
Well-known Donegal locations such as Gola Island, Bloody Foreland, Errigal, the Poisoned Glen, Port Arthur, and even the boutique family hotel, Teac Jack, and traditional pub, Teach Hiúdaí Beag, feature in the suspense novel about a former Miss America suddenly escaping to Donegal after finding herself on the ‘hit list’ of killers hired by a cosmetic company with millions of dollars to lose if it doesn’t stop her telling the truth about a dangerous cosmetic.
In ‘Driver’s Diary,’ a work of historical fiction, Sean opens his story innocently with family members clearing out the house of their grandfather who has just died in Gaoth Dobhair.
Much to their shock, they discover documents showing he was the driver of the armoured tender in which Collins was travelling when he was killed by a single bullet to the head at Béal na Bláth (Mouth of the Flowers) in west Cork. And that his report on what really happened that day is devastating.
After comprehensive research and travel throughout key places in Collins’ life, Sean’s conclusions as to who shot the popular leader may be considered astounding.
“It will probably amaze many readers, as no-one has ever written in this way about such a tragic event that changed the face of Ireland for generations,” said Sean. “But when they let the idea sink in, I’m confident they’ll think it much more plausible.
“What happened that day over one hundred years ago is truly shocking but religion and politics having been bed-partners in Ireland for so long, they’re inseparable, and the danger from this dual power reveals its true menace in my book.”
More information on Sean, who is also co-founder and lead tutor at Ireland Writing Retreat in Gweedore, can be found at seanhillenauthor.com