Connaughton to launch Belturbet man's book on St Columb's

Sinead Hogan sinead@anglocelt.ie Graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Maurice Fitzpatrick, a native of Belturbet now lecturing in English at Keio University in Tokyo, is back in Cavan to have his new paperback, The Boys Of St. Columb's, launched. Shane Connaughton, celebrated Redhills author (most famous for the screenplay of 'My Left Foot' and 'The Playboys'), will officially launch the book at the Johnston Central Library in Cavan town this Thursday, May 6, at 7pm. The book tells the story of the first generation of children to receive free secondary education as a result of the ground-breaking 1947 Education Act in Northern Ireland. The Boys Of St. Columb's consists of interviews with Nobel Prize winners, writers, diplomats, musicians and a socialist campaigner. The eight figures who make up this oral history are Bishop Daly, John Hume, Seamus Heaney, Seamus Deane, Phil Coulter, Eamonn McCann, Paul Brady and James Sharkey. The story may be a familiar one as the film, which Maurice co-produced with Kevin McCann of Maccana Teoranta, has had screenings at prestigious festivals and on RTE. Maurice explains his inspiration. "I came to the idea when I interviewed Seamus Deane," recalls Maurice. "He mentioned the 1947 Education Act and that is fundamental; the 11-plus was instituted through that act. Through his answers and what we spoke about, I came to the idea of making a film about the boys of St. Columb's." Maurice wrote the script and spoke to Belturbet-based producer, Kevin McCann. "We put our heads together and lo and behold RTE commissioned it," says Maurice, adding that the medium often accused of being Dublin-centric had reason to be keen. "These are high profile people, they go well beyond Northern Ireland in their scope and significance, so there was always that interest from Dublin." As writer and co-producer of the film, Maurice was also working on his book during the film production and delays with it. Admitting to sleepless nights, Maurice is delighted with the resulting film and book. "It was a very stimulating journey doing both and it was great for my self-development. You can't take on a book or a film with all these sensitivities - you're dealing with the North and a politicised town like Derry - you can't expect it to be a walk in the park, and it wasn't. "One regret I do have, probably partly because I worked so hard for it: I got Heaney and Deane into a room to do a dual interview, and I think it's the strongest chapter in the book, if I may say so, and I regret that wasn't used in the film." He acknowledges, however, that editing for film is "more difficult, less pliable and less malleable" than textual editing. Interviewing his subjects (all in Derry and mostly in St. Columb's), he found it hard "to be loyal to both [the film and book]". As for the boys of St. Columb's themselves? "I found them wonderful and I can't say enough in praise of the way that they got behind the project. I think had I been doing something else it wouldn't have been the same, but a lot of them were very curious for different reasons to go back to St. Columb's and do the interviews." And were they happy with how the dual projects turned out? "By and large, they really liked it," says Maurice. "Any time I've consulted Seamus Heaney, he's taken the time to write a paragraph about how much he liked the film... I'm honoured that they have all gotten behind the book launches and will be attending various launches." • Copies for sale and signings will be done at the launch by Shane Connaughton at Johnston Central Library this Thursday, May 6, at 7pm. All are welcome.