JP Donleavy is still watching his mighty oak grow

At 89, JP Donleavy is happy that people are still reading The Ginger Man, despite its banning in 1955, writes John Daly

WHEN an unknown American student named Donleavy took time out from his Trinity College lectures in the 1950s to pen a debut novel, he had little idea just how much this literary flight of fancy would change his life.

The year was 1955, the book was The Ginger Man. In a 60-year journey where the exploits of its outrageous anti-hero Sebastian Dangerfield have prompted gasps of horror and ripples of hilarity in equal measure across the world, Donleavy’s masterpiece has gone on to modern classic status with 40 million sales in 20 languages.