Author June O'Sullivan returns home to Limerick to launch debut novel

AUTHOR June O’Sullivan will return to her hometown of Newcastle West for the launch of her debut novel The Lighthouse Keeper’s Wife.
June, will give a reading and interview at Newcastle West Library on Thursday, March 6 where she will also sign copies of her book, published by Poolbeg.
The event is being hosted by the library in conjunction with the Eigse Michael Hartnett committee.
June is a past pupil of Scoil Mhuire agus Ide, a graduate of Galway University and more recently was awarded an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Limerick.
She has previously had work published in various journals but The Lighthouse Keeper’s Wife is her first novel and has been described as “powerful” by author Joseph O’Connor and as “stunning” by author Donal Ryan.
The book is set in the Ireland of 1867 where life is hard in Ireland. Its main character, Eliza Carthy, moves with her lighthouse-keeper husband James and sons Peter and Joseph to the remote island of Skellig Michael. Eliza is proud of her husband and his promotion to principal keeper and is eager to support him in his work and fulfil her duty as a good wife and mother. But life in this extreme location is challenging.

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The island is 54 acres of jagged rock, jutting out of the Atlantic, with no way of communicating from or leaving the island. With no access to a boat, keepers must rely on a tender boat to deliver news, supplies and act as their conduit to life on the mainland. The island is exposed to extreme changes of weather and the landscape is fraught with danger. When assistant keeper Edmund and his wife Ruth arrive, Eliza hopes for respite. But her new neighbours are not what she’d expected. They blow hot and cold, seemingly wanting Eliza and her family to leave Skellig Michael, and making her question her sanity. Will Eliza be able to keep her family safe? Can her marriage survive?
Praising the novel, Donal Ryan said: “On such a tiny stage, a rock in the ocean, June presents an epic story of love, loss, betrayal, heartbreak and survival. This is a stunning debut.”
“A powerful and evocative debut historical novel with many resonances for our own world,” said Joseph O’Connor.
June now lives with her husband and three children on Valentia Island but will be attending Newcastle West library this Thursday, March 6.
The book signing starts at 6.30 with the reading and interview at 7pm.
This is a free event, open to all and all will be welcome.