Owen O'Neill has a few gigs coming up in Hammersmith, Donegal and Belfast — go to all three and you should be well-equipped to write your own book. Owen takes up the story . . . .
YOU'VE heard people say I could write a book about it — these people rarely do. But I have written a book about it and I've written a show about the writing of the book, which I've entitled I Could Write A Book About It. And I will be performing at the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith on April 10, at 8pm.
I refused to go down the self-publishing route which I felt was a bit like making your own bread and then trying to sell it to Waitrose. I eventually found an independent publishing house in Edinburgh, Thirsty Books run by a very likeable man by the name of Sean Bradley an Edinburgh inhabitant of 40 years but originally from Macroom in County Cork. He got it; understood what I was trying to say, which was a relief. I once heard of a writer who received this response from a publisher.
“We read your manuscript and found it to be literate, witty and intelligent, in a way that didn't pander to any group. So, we are going to pass on it.”
In the show I talk about the minefield of misinformation and absolute garbage that is on the Internet about how to get published. It's hilarious most of it and there are some scammers out there ready and willing to take your money. The show isn't all about trying to get published. I talk about and act out, some extracts from the book, like the time I bought a pair of platforms shoes in Shepherd's Bush Market for £2 and in the disco both heels came off and I was eventually arrested for being an IRA terrorist...
The book which is called Tom Joad and Me is loosely autobiographical depicting my escapades in London in the mid 1970's. Getting drunk with Dr Feelgood, dancing on stage with Chuck Berry and getting arrested again, for yes, you've guessed it. Being an IRA terrorist.
The title of the book Tom Joad and Me comes from seeing the movie The Grapes of Wrath, from the book by John Steinbeck directed by the great John Ford. The title character Tom Joad was played by Henry Fonda. Lots of songs and articles and stories have been written about Tom Joad from people like Woody Guthrie, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Neil Young. The Grapes of Wrath is about the Dust Bowl disaster in Oklahoma in the 1930's when thousands of poor farmers and their families were driven off their land by the big banks and a government who treated them like second class citizens. Being brought up a Catholic in the North of Ireland in the 60's I could relate to that.
I also talk about some of the eccentric characters in the small town where I grew up. People like Paddy McCallion our PE teacher. Paddy was a dyed in the wool Irish Republican socialist GAA lunatic who hated soccer. We all loved soccer we wanted to be George Best. If Paddy caught you playing soccer on the Gaelic football pitch, he would make you run around the field in woman's high heels. He had a bag of different sizes which he bought at jumble sales. Yes, you could say he was ahead of his time.
Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Tom Cruise also make an appearance in my show and discuss the book. Is it real. OF COURSE IT IS!
I look forward to seeing you on April 10th.
April 10
Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith
5 Black's Rd, London W6 9DT
Prior to his London gig Owen will be appearing:
April 1st An Grianan Theatre, Letterkenny
April 2nd The Lyric Theatre Belfast
Owen O'Neill and his bookSee More: Irish Cultural Centre, Literature, Writing A Book
