Strip club finances cash-strapped Brian in novel idea

A SOCCER enthusiast who re-mortgaged his house twice to fund his fanaticism to a luckless club has penned his second book — which is being sponsored by a strip club.

The latest publication tracks the fortunes of a hapless gambler. Thankfully, it’s not an autobiography, the father of two says.

Waterford man Brian Kennedy’s devotion to little-known British conference league club, Exeter City, saw him regularly make the seven-hour return journey overseas to watch his side play. His devotion to his side became the focus of his first book and a local radio documentary which scooped a major award. Now Brian has published a second book — this time a fictional publication which has been sponsored by a poll dancing club in his native city.

In his book, we meet Harry. Likeable-lover-loser. A good day means not being struck by lighting. His life is one long gamble. Not saying he’s unlucky but he hasn’t won a thing since 1973. He inherited this jinx from his woefully inept grandfather who got him hooked on betting at the age of six.

But 30 years on Harry is black-listed by every bank in the entire northern hemisphere.

After his grandad loses his life to a dodgy set of fairy lights one Christmas Eve, Harry sets on a hair-brained scheme to make it rich in the city of sin, Las Vegas.

“Whispers pole-dancing club came up with the money to finance the book — making it possibly the only book in the history of literature to be sponsored by a strip club,” Mr Kennedy says.

“I will be donating €2 from every book sold in the shops towards the Waterford branch of the ISPCA. They are a great group and I’ve been following the plight of Aoife, the greyhound in their care who was found with her ears severed,” he said.

* Books are available at Bookworms, Middleabbey Street, Dublin as well as on gamblingbooks.co.uk