Beginner’s pluck: Kevin Holohan

After college the Dubliner moved to Spain, where he lived for six years, teaching English as a foreign language.

“I loved Spain. It felt exotic. Then I came back to Ireland and worked in films, doing production and coordination.” All this time, Kevin was writing, trying out short stories, poetry and novels. His break came when a story was shortlisted for the Hennessy Award.

On his first novel: “I got the idea from the man I worked for in Spain. He told me when he’d been at school a new kid came. One of the Brothers had a heart attack, and the other lads were letting it happen. It was the new kid who ran for help. I wondered what you had to do to bring that level of animosity out in basically decent kids.”