The rebirth of rural Ireland is down to the hard work of women

One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is the drive and the creativity of people living and working in rural Ireland, writes Fergus Finlay

I DON’T have a long bucket list. But one of the things on it has always been to be invited to speak at a literary lunch. Not too many people (apart from me, that is!) would put my name and high literature in the same sentence. But hey, a man can dream, right?

Anyway, I’ve made it. Last Saturday I spoke to an enthralled audience of what looked to me like deeply intellectual and charming people, at the first literary lunch I’ve ever been asked to speak at. (If you end a sentence with a preposition, does that disqualify you from the use of the term literature?) Held them in the palms of my hands, I did.