‘Skippy Dies’ author visits Clongowes

Paul Murray, author of the highly-acclaimed novel Skippy Dies, visited Clongowes Wood College on Wednesday 19 January and spoke to a group of students and staff about the writing process. In the opening chapter of Murray’s novel, ‘Skippy’, a student at a Catholic boys’ boarding school, dies during a doughnut-eating contest. The rest of the book explains how Skippy came to this point, taking time along the way to explore many issues faced by teenagers, as well as such diverse subjects as the all-Irish D Company of the Seventh Royal Dublin Fusiliers at Gallipoli, quantum theory, computer games, the education system, and materialism. Murray’s wit and humour was much in evidence on the night, and his generosity and honesty as he engaged with the audience made for an interesting and most enjoyable evening.