“I Do Like Stretching Reality”: An Interview with Alan McMonagle

Abstract

Abstract: Galway writer Alan McMonagle participated in the Conference “II St. Patrick’s Day International Seminar: Irish Itinerary 2019 (EFACIS) and Women in Irish Culture” at the Centre of Irish Studies Banna / Bond, University of La Rioja (EFACIS Centre – European Federation of Associations and Centres of Irish Studies). The following interview took place there on 12 March 2019, covering issues of creative writing, formal innovation, poetry, short story, radio drama, film noir, comic fiction, dark laughter, gender, Beckett, Greek and Russian literature, and social inclusion and exclusion in Irish culture. McMonagle offers a number of insightful responses and shares his views on writing, relationships and his motivations to write. McMonagle has contributed stories to many journals in Ireland and North America over more than a decade and is the author of two collections, Liar, Liar (2008) and Psychotic Episodes (2013), both nominated for the Frank O’Connor Short Story Award. He has received awards for his work from the Professional Artists’ Retreat in Yaddo (New York), the Fundacion Valparaiso (Spain), the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (Canada) and the Arts Council of Ireland. Early in 2014, his radio play Oscar Night was produced and broadcast as part of RTE’s “Drama on One” season. Three years later, in 2017, McMonagle produced and broadcast another play, People Walking on Water. He is a contributor to the anthology Young Irelanders (edited by Dave Lordan, 2015). In November 2015, he signed a two-book deal with Picador and his first novel, Ithaca, was published in March 2017. He was immediately nominated for the Desmond Elliott Prize for first novels. At the moment, he is writing his second novel for Picador.