Cork author’s book set in Mallow in war years

Denis McCarthy, author of Last Of The Fruit Kings.
Ireland in 1914 was still under British Rule.
The Third Home Rule Bill was passed in 1912, effectively giving Ireland Home Rule. However, the outbreak of World War I in 1914 prevented the Bill coming into being.
The impact of the war on Ireland was immense. The divide in families, neighbourhoods and friends became all the more visible when a choice had to be made by many, whether to fight with the British Army, or to stay home and fight for independence.
The war period was marked by significant political and social changes, including the rising tide of Irish nationalism.
However, many young Irishmen were eager to participate in the war, either out of a sense of duty, adventure, or economic necessity. Recruitment drives were successful in enlisting many young men from Ireland.
In the small towns of Ireland, the conflict raging in Europe was of less importance than making ends meet.
In my new novel, in one of these small towns in Cork - Mallow - four young lads were about to embark on a journey that would have an enormous effect on their lives.
Pádraig, Fintan, Donnacha and Seán had been friends all their young lives. Their mischievous gang, ‘The Fruit Kings’, was formed in their early childhood and they were often seen in the town strolling the paths together.
As they reached their teenage years, the town they grew up in saw a significant change, which would also change their young lives forever. The four young members of the ‘Fruit Kings’ had choices to make which would split their loyalties and test their long friendships.

My book, Last Of The Fruit Kings, is a story of love, hate and sorrow, the political turmoil of young lives is seen through the eyes of four young boys from a small town in Ireland.
From their mischievous youth where they narrowly avoided arrest and punishments, the story takes us to Belgium and France before concluding in the heroic rise of a nationalistic rising.
All of the Fruit Kings are impacted in some way by having to grow up more quickly than one would expect.
The story shows us the importance of friends, family and a stubborn loyalty that results in a devastating manner following the Easter 1916 rising.
I was born in Churchfield, Cork City but now live in Manchester, England.
After leaving Cork in the 1990s, I moved to London, before embarking on a journey helping aid agencies in war-torn areas for several years.
I then travelled throughout Europe and the USA, mainly busking and playing in bars, enjoying the freedom that solo travelling gave me.
I have an interest in Irish military history and an MA in First World War Studies from the University of Birmingham.
My dissertation on the 16th Irish Division in World War I gave me sufficient knowledge when writing my new novel.
The book is a move away from my normal crime fiction writing.
I always had a deep interest in true crime and crime fiction, and Lyngate Woods, my first book, a psychological thriller, told the story of a serial killer, driven by hate from mistreatment by previous girlfriends.
My latest book is a move awsay from crime fiction, it is one that I had written in my head some time ago, but never managed to get it down. I’m so glad I’ve managed to tell the story of the influence the war and the Easter Rising may have had on those outside the major cities of Ireland.
We’re familiar with hearing the popular names associated with these events such as Éamon de Valera, Michael Collins, Padraig Pearse, and so on. I wanted to contextualise this into a more local story, perhaps showing what may have been the reality of the day-to-day struggles.
The book is a fictional account of what may have happened, but hopefully, it will allow people to think about the normalisation of World War I and the Easter Rising, while hopefully giving them an enjoyable read.
Fintan is our main character and the story is mainly seen through his eyes. He sees some of his contemporaries get married, join up or fighting during these times and he has to make a choice also.
There is something for everybody in this book, with romance, sadness and thrills throughout, so I hope people enjoy it.
I will still be writing crime fiction, but my next book will also be related to where I’m from, which I’m hoping will be published before the end of the year.
Last Of The Fruit Kings is currently available on paperback and Kindle at amazon.