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Rewind : A Collection
This engaging treasure box of Irish jewels holds something for everyone. Authors in Ireland were asked to submit a piece relating to memories. The result was a myriad of interpretations leading to a rich eclectic collection!
For example, Betty O'Mahony's account of her first car and its part in a desperate police sergeant's bid to clear a pub of after hours drinkers, and the community that rallied round to assist a stranded new driver. How could you not fall in love with these people? You could almost taste the benevolence in the atmosphere.
Or the vivid imagery in David Bowmore's tale of Lucky Lucas. Sunlight glinted off broken glass in many of the windows and grass struggled to grow on sand that had gathered in high drifts, obliterating board-walks.
The poignancy of the last two lines in Anne McDonald's poem "Spare Parts," remembering a parent from before a stroke, I keep my mother's handwriting beside me as I write, so I remember who she was before it all got broken.
Or there is Mary Minnock's deeply moving tale of impending motherhood "Eileen" cradling the reader with its elegant prose - Phillip lay sleeping beside her and she soaked in the detail of his already well-studied face. Sleep had loosened it, clearing his features like a blackboard wiped free of the scribblings of the day.
The travails of motherhood theme is also touched on by Joann Curran Ryan in "The Light Between Us," with lines like No one had told me it would be like this. That you could love someone so much it hurts, and at the same time you forget who you are.
There are stories of the uncanny too, in Alec Secam's journey into the sci-fi soul of Ireland in "Bog Trippin'" and Claire O'Connor's vision of a future in "Erase & Rewind" where memories can be stolen and maybe we don't want them back.
These are just some examples of the captivating stories you will find inside. This rare collection of Irish stories is one every reader will treasure.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 2, 2025
This fantastic anthology showcases some truly amazing writing from Ireland and specifically from a diverse group of independent Irish-based authors. A great mix of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, all built around the theme of memory. On top of being a great read, all proceeds from sales go to a great cause (As I Am - Ireland's Autism Charity) so it's a win-win!
June 3, 2025
A truly unique collection of mixed styles and genres, each piece with its own special quality. This anthology is a highly entertaining book of different perspectives of time and memories.
June 3, 2025
This is a fun collection of very different reflections on memory, covering life writing and fiction, prose and poetry, comedy and pathos.
Lots of lines and moments to savour, for example in Betty O'Mahon's account of her first car and its part in a desperate police sergeant's bid to clear a pub of after hours drinkers, and the community that rallied round to assist a stranded new driver How could you not fall in love with these people. You could almost taste the benevolence in the Atmosphere.
Or the vivid imagery in David Bowmore's tale of Lucky Lucas - Sunlight glinted off broken glass in many of the windows and grass struggled to grow on sand that had gathered in high drifts, obliterating board-walks.
The poignancy of the last two lines in Anne McDonald's poem "Spare Parts," remembering a parent from before a stroke, I keep my mother's handwriting beside me as I write, so I remember who she was before it all got broken.
Or there is Mary Minnock's deeply moving tale of impending motherhood "Eileen" cradling the reader with its elegant prose - Phillip lay sleeping beside her and she soaked in the detail of his already well-studied face. Sleep had loosened it, clearing his features like a blackboard wiped free of the scribblings of the day.
The travails of motherhood theme is also touched on by Joann Curran Ryan in "The Light Between Us," with lines like this No one had told me it would be like this. That you could love someone so much it hurts, and at the same time you forget who you are.
In "Galway" Val Robus gives a brilliant characterful insight into life in another time, her grandmother's time a woman who didn't want a bath - preferring instead to douse herself with TCP - another smell that still stirs memories, and not in a good way. A woman who would dander about... spitting on the range to see it it was hot enough to start dinner.
There are stories of the uncanny too, in Alec Secam's journey into the sci-fi soul of Ireland in "Bog Trippin'" and Claire O'Connor's vision of a future in "Erase & Rewind" where memories can be stolen and maybe we don't want them back.
I particularly liked the long suffering mother-in-law in Eamon O'Leary's "Granted" constantly biting her tongue and keep her most scathing thoughts for the readers' ear as she watches her son-in-law working at the speed of a drifting iceberg.
The notion of icebergs brings me to another story that particularly resonated for me, in Helen O'Sullivan's "That Year" which draws parallels with the experience of Covid and a more or less unified response to a significant threat and comparing that with our inaction over the increasingly self-evident disaster of climate change. The problem is neatly summed up for me by a meme saying "The interesting thing about capitalism is that its entirely incompatible with the future, so we've decided to just get rid of the future and keep capitalism for a short while."
Aislin O'Neill's story "The End of the Road" covers that difficult time when a daughter must become the parent to her own father, taking on the mantle of imposer of responsibility, the denier of freedom, all with moments of regret You'd taught me well. There was still so much to learn. I wasn't ready to graduate.
I also have a story in the collection "Fragments of my Mother" where I pull at some gossamer threads of memory and hopefully capture moments with reasonable veracity.
All in all a commendable collection and an excellent cause.
Lots of lines and moments to savour, for example in Betty O'Mahon's account of her first car and its part in a desperate police sergeant's bid to clear a pub of after hours drinkers, and the community that rallied round to assist a stranded new driver How could you not fall in love with these people. You could almost taste the benevolence in the Atmosphere.
Or the vivid imagery in David Bowmore's tale of Lucky Lucas - Sunlight glinted off broken glass in many of the windows and grass struggled to grow on sand that had gathered in high drifts, obliterating board-walks.
The poignancy of the last two lines in Anne McDonald's poem "Spare Parts," remembering a parent from before a stroke, I keep my mother's handwriting beside me as I write, so I remember who she was before it all got broken.
Or there is Mary Minnock's deeply moving tale of impending motherhood "Eileen" cradling the reader with its elegant prose - Phillip lay sleeping beside her and she soaked in the detail of his already well-studied face. Sleep had loosened it, clearing his features like a blackboard wiped free of the scribblings of the day.
The travails of motherhood theme is also touched on by Joann Curran Ryan in "The Light Between Us," with lines like this No one had told me it would be like this. That you could love someone so much it hurts, and at the same time you forget who you are.
In "Galway" Val Robus gives a brilliant characterful insight into life in another time, her grandmother's time a woman who didn't want a bath - preferring instead to douse herself with TCP - another smell that still stirs memories, and not in a good way. A woman who would dander about... spitting on the range to see it it was hot enough to start dinner.
There are stories of the uncanny too, in Alec Secam's journey into the sci-fi soul of Ireland in "Bog Trippin'" and Claire O'Connor's vision of a future in "Erase & Rewind" where memories can be stolen and maybe we don't want them back.
I particularly liked the long suffering mother-in-law in Eamon O'Leary's "Granted" constantly biting her tongue and keep her most scathing thoughts for the readers' ear as she watches her son-in-law working at the speed of a drifting iceberg.
The notion of icebergs brings me to another story that particularly resonated for me, in Helen O'Sullivan's "That Year" which draws parallels with the experience of Covid and a more or less unified response to a significant threat and comparing that with our inaction over the increasingly self-evident disaster of climate change. The problem is neatly summed up for me by a meme saying "The interesting thing about capitalism is that its entirely incompatible with the future, so we've decided to just get rid of the future and keep capitalism for a short while."
Aislin O'Neill's story "The End of the Road" covers that difficult time when a daughter must become the parent to her own father, taking on the mantle of imposer of responsibility, the denier of freedom, all with moments of regret You'd taught me well. There was still so much to learn. I wasn't ready to graduate.
I also have a story in the collection "Fragments of my Mother" where I pull at some gossamer threads of memory and hopefully capture moments with reasonable veracity.
All in all a commendable collection and an excellent cause.
June 12, 2025
'Rewind - A Collection' is a great book to explore a whole range of different writers from the Irish Indie Author scene. I've been able to dip into a variety of genres from poetry to fiction to recollections of another era. I love the variety and the ability to get a flavour of writers I'm unfamiliar with. Standouts so far, Eileen Moynihan's 'The Sun Is Not At The Table' drew me in for an engrossing twist, Eoin Brady's 'Chestnut Heaven' is a startling and poetic story, Mary M Trant's 'Heartbreak Ridge' brings us back to another time with vivid clarity, and D.C. Spuera's 'The Loop' was a bizarre and thrillingly dark read. Tonight, I really enjoyed 'Zoe's Birthday Party' by Roisín Cloyne and Leigh Kenny's haunting 'Ghost'. Tomorrow, I have Camilla Galbiati and Eamon O'Learys stories to look forward to! No arguments about it. This anthology is a treasure trove of high-quality stories and poems. If you want a book covering the best of Irish writing in 2025, this is easily the one to pick. A great representation of Ireland’s creative spirit.
June 27, 2025
This wonderful mix of stories & poetry is a readers dream!!
You get a collection of authors at your fingertips for a great price & the fact that the proceeds are being donated to a fantastic charity is the icing on the cake.
This is a must-have in your collection, I looked forward to dipping in & out of this every day.
You get a collection of authors at your fingertips for a great price & the fact that the proceeds are being donated to a fantastic charity is the icing on the cake.
This is a must-have in your collection, I looked forward to dipping in & out of this every day.
August 22, 2025
Rewind is an excellent collection of poems and stories from Irish authors reflecting on memories. All of the pieces are beautifully written and worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews