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Da Mick
Da Mick tells the story of a firefighter who blames God for his wife’s tragic death and embarks on a self-destructive spiral of alcohol, drugs and women. Morally rudderless, Mick Mullan flirts with salvation when a beautiful Irish-Catholic fiddler starts tending bar in his nightclub. Erin Callahan is everything he’s not, religious, anchored and ethical. Despite her love for Mick, she can’t reconcile with his hedonistic lifestyle and ends up in the arms of Mick’s best friend, Jamie. The tension builds with a subplot finding Mick torn between the virtuous Erin and the girl of his salacious dreams, an Australian prostitute named Grace. While fighting fires in a busy Bronx station stocked with screwballs, Mick battles both atheism and alcoholism. This witty love story turns deadly serious when Erin and Mick reach an impasse that can only be broken by such a cataclysmic force as 9/11. This dramatic and prodigally generous tale tackles Mullan’s inner moral battles while introducing readers to a host of gallant but flawed firefighters who risk their lives laboring in one of New York’s wackiest firehouses. The entire story takes place in the year leading up to its fiery, poignant and powerful conclusion at 9/11.
294 pages, Paperback
Published March 25, 2018
7 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Billy O'Connor
7 books24 followersBilly O’Connor was born in County Cork, Ireland, and grew up on the Bronx streets. After Vietnam, Billy was a Teamster, a pub and restaurant owner, and before becoming a N.Y.C firefighter for 23 years, an illegal bookie. He sailed dove and traveled the world burdened by his addiction to drugs and alcohol.
After the tragedy of 9/11 and the loss of 343 of his brother firefighters he sobered up and attended the University of Florida. At the age of 62 he earned his journalism degree and began to write . He has written two highly praised weekly columns, two screenplays and numerous political pieces. He also finished third out of nearly 800 contestants in Arizona’s funniest comic contest. If anyone personifies that life truly begins at 60, it is Billy O’Connor. Confessions of a Bronx Bookie is his much-anticipated first novel.
After the tragedy of 9/11 and the loss of 343 of his brother firefighters he sobered up and attended the University of Florida. At the age of 62 he earned his journalism degree and began to write . He has written two highly praised weekly columns, two screenplays and numerous political pieces. He also finished third out of nearly 800 contestants in Arizona’s funniest comic contest. If anyone personifies that life truly begins at 60, it is Billy O’Connor. Confessions of a Bronx Bookie is his much-anticipated first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 24, 2019
"Billy O’Connors, " Da Mick“ flirts with genius -- an absolute treasure, a story that echos in your head for weeks after you’ve finished it.
The first two thirds of Da Mick is O’Connor at the top of his game. Much like his outstanding first book, "Confessions of a Bronx Bookie,” it takes place in the underbelly of New York’s more accomplished drinkers and druggers. The author does what he does best with his very flawed, yet all too human protagonist, Mick Mullan. Mullan like his predecessor Conner Kelly seems like a clone of Randall P McMurphy and Neal Cassidy. He would be hard to love but impossible to hate, a hero that would save an infant from a burning building and then celebrate by snorting cocaine and being thrown out of his neighborhood bar.
The recently widowed Mullan deals with grief the only way he knows how, drinking, and lots of it. He has the support and ear of all the friends in the bar he owns and his comrades on the fire department -- where the lines between friendship and family blur into one. A huge strength for the author is his descriptions of the people that make up New York, specifically his "brothers in arms,“ his fellow firefighters. The authenticity just jumps off the page. I don’t think it’s possible to imagine or create these men. This clearly comes from a lifetime spent in their company.
What follows ... the “meat and potatoes” of the story, is probably the last thing I would have expected in a Billy O’Connor novel --a love story -- and a damn good one at that. There is surprising depth in both of the female love interests. I don’t wanna give anything away but I wanna go on record and say I definitely would have chosen the one Mick didn't!
As this story comes to a climax you get what you’ve known was coming all along.. The denouement of the novel and 9/11.
You know from the cover of the book that this is coming and honestly I wasn’t prepared for what I read. I had to stop several times to kind of compose myself, while at the same time making sure I was absorbing it. This hits you like a freight train. There could be an argument made that this should be required reading.
I mean this quite literally when I say this ranks among the most powerful prose I have ever read. For the rest of my life, be it the anniversary, or just times when that world-altering day is brought up, my thoughts will go back to several chapters in this book. When I wrote earlier that this novel flirts with genius, it’s theses page that I was referring to.
Buy this book. Read it. You'll thank me." -- Brian Mullen
The first two thirds of Da Mick is O’Connor at the top of his game. Much like his outstanding first book, "Confessions of a Bronx Bookie,” it takes place in the underbelly of New York’s more accomplished drinkers and druggers. The author does what he does best with his very flawed, yet all too human protagonist, Mick Mullan. Mullan like his predecessor Conner Kelly seems like a clone of Randall P McMurphy and Neal Cassidy. He would be hard to love but impossible to hate, a hero that would save an infant from a burning building and then celebrate by snorting cocaine and being thrown out of his neighborhood bar.
The recently widowed Mullan deals with grief the only way he knows how, drinking, and lots of it. He has the support and ear of all the friends in the bar he owns and his comrades on the fire department -- where the lines between friendship and family blur into one. A huge strength for the author is his descriptions of the people that make up New York, specifically his "brothers in arms,“ his fellow firefighters. The authenticity just jumps off the page. I don’t think it’s possible to imagine or create these men. This clearly comes from a lifetime spent in their company.
What follows ... the “meat and potatoes” of the story, is probably the last thing I would have expected in a Billy O’Connor novel --a love story -- and a damn good one at that. There is surprising depth in both of the female love interests. I don’t wanna give anything away but I wanna go on record and say I definitely would have chosen the one Mick didn't!
As this story comes to a climax you get what you’ve known was coming all along.. The denouement of the novel and 9/11.
You know from the cover of the book that this is coming and honestly I wasn’t prepared for what I read. I had to stop several times to kind of compose myself, while at the same time making sure I was absorbing it. This hits you like a freight train. There could be an argument made that this should be required reading.
I mean this quite literally when I say this ranks among the most powerful prose I have ever read. For the rest of my life, be it the anniversary, or just times when that world-altering day is brought up, my thoughts will go back to several chapters in this book. When I wrote earlier that this novel flirts with genius, it’s theses page that I was referring to.
Buy this book. Read it. You'll thank me." -- Brian Mullen
March 8, 2019
This book is so riveting that I lost all track of time! I actually felt the roller coaster of emotions in my gut as I was reading it. Billy's command of phrases is exceptional and the words just flow so very well. You feel his pain as he navigates life and root for him to battle the self-sabotaging. Mick is, at times, the most infuriating, hilarious, and empathetic character all at once. The insight into the inner- workings of the NYFD gave me a new-found respect for these otherwise ordinary men and women tasked with doing extra-ordinary and unbearable things that most of us could not stomach. One of my all-time favorite books!!
March 9, 2019
This is the second book i have read by a fellow Bronx Irish Catholic boy. Billy writes from the heart about life in New York City especially his home Boro of the Bronx. Civil Service jobs, drinking and drugs are all very familiar to any one growing up in New York at this time. As all good stories it has a tale about redemption. I would love to see this book made into a movie
March 16, 2019
I'm proud to say I worked as a fireman with Billy at some "jobs". His latest book is a must read. Trust me when he brings you into fires its exactly as he describes... I was at some with him. Billy is an amazing author and truly a world class firefighter. Da Mick is an enthralling read. Parts of the book made the hair on my arms stand on end. Thanks Billy for bringing the world to that little part of hell called the S. Bronx.
March 4, 2019
If anyone is like me and likes reading stories about New York people and streets,of you like Breslin,Runyon,Hamill then take a walk around the FDNY bar scene and life with O’Connor in Da Mick and his first book Confessions of a Bronx Bookie.Trust me you won’t be disappointed.These guys lived life and although many didn’t live long ones they sure lived.Some of the stories made me laugh so hard in a doctors office I was choking and getting odd stares and others had me in tears.I am an avid reader and am 61.One of those people that always have a book in my pocket and these rank up there as some of my favorites.There are very few books I bought just because of the author.Ed Bunker,Jimmy Breslin,Ed McBain and Billy O’Connor.Great stuff.
March 4, 2019
O’Connor’s style and experience provide just the right tools for creating the story of a New York City firefighter raised in the Bronx in a deeply Irish Catholic tradition, but pushed by personal tragedy toward the self-destructive, free-wheeling shallowness of the '90s. As Mick struggles with his cynicism and personal demons, the big real world crashes into his personal one on 9/11. O'Connor knows the territory well and seasons his writing with the no-BS attitude of a Bronx native, giving his urban Baby Boomer characters an authentic flavor and texture few contemporary writers seem to pull off. It’s a natural for a great screenplay and movie. You'll be eager for O’Connor’s next project.
March 8, 2019
What a fabulous read! Smart, funny, touching... it’s a story of an Irishman living in NY as a firefighter. Billy O in the development of Da Mick allows the rest of our society to feel the realities of redemption and allows the rest of us to peek behind the curtain of life in the Bronx. Da Mick takes you on a journey most couldn’t believe. A throughly enjoyable read.
March 4, 2019
This is a great read. Smart, funny, touching... it’s a story of a complicated man, part hero/part louse, as he works to reconcile his demons. I love the little bits of inside information that stem from the author’s experience as a firefighter. Mick has a heart of gold, coated in vice, wrapped in charm.
March 11, 2019
Amazing Book ! A real page tuner. The context of the novel was truly intriguing and created a visionary of the world that the author had to live in!
-Lillian Pignatello
-Lillian Pignatello
April 14, 2020
Rescue Me
Of you liked the television series Rescue Me then you will love this book. It has just enough side story to build up each character that you truly connect with them. The firehouse banter and pranks are spot on and if you are in the fire service you can relate more than a few of the personalities in this book to people you know. This is not a 9/11 book but the short portion of the book that does reflect on it will take you back to that day. This is a great and easy book to read. Highly recommend
Of you liked the television series Rescue Me then you will love this book. It has just enough side story to build up each character that you truly connect with them. The firehouse banter and pranks are spot on and if you are in the fire service you can relate more than a few of the personalities in this book to people you know. This is not a 9/11 book but the short portion of the book that does reflect on it will take you back to that day. This is a great and easy book to read. Highly recommend
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews