New novel from Ger Fitzgibbon set during the burning of Cork
Crowds of onlookers throng Patrick Street on the day following the burning of Cork in 1920. Ger Fitzgibbon's novel is set during that fateful night. Picture: Irish Examiner Archive
Former head of drama and theatre studies at UCC and now a freelance writer and director, Ger FitzGibbon has just published his debut novel, Songs for a Burning City. It is set on the evening of December 11, 1920 when a production of The Gondoliers is in full swing at the Cork Opera House. Word comes through that the Crown forces are rampaging through the streets of Cork, setting buildings on fire.
The novel is an imagined history as seen through the eyes of cast members and the audience at the Gilbert & Sullivan opera. For some, it’s an opportunity for looting, or even romance. For others, the dramatic night will change the direction of their lives.
