Geraldine Comiskey's Blog
September 7, 2025
Satanic murder in Dublin 1973
Murders of children by children are (mercifully) very rare. So it's only natural that are widely covered in the media.
It's also in the public interest, because we owe it to ourselves as human beings to try to understand how and why a child would be driven to commit the ultimate crime, to delve into to related topics such as the age of criminal responsibility, how to rehabilitate young murderers -and how to prevent it happening again.
Such stories are also sensational by their very nature.
When a Satanic ritual is involved, the story is catnip to the media.
But not in this case, apparently. I initially thought this was fiction when it popped on my "recommended" list, because I had never heard of it.
It happened in a quiet suburb of Dublin in 1973, the perpetrator and victim were next-door neighbours, and the details of the murder are the stuff of horror movies. Amazingly, there wasn't even an inquest into the death of the seven-year-old victim until 2011 - prompted by the release of this book by David Malone.
Here I am discussing it with Paul Dettman aka Crime Guy: https://www.crimeguy.com/p/the-boy-in...
It's also in the public interest, because we owe it to ourselves as human beings to try to understand how and why a child would be driven to commit the ultimate crime, to delve into to related topics such as the age of criminal responsibility, how to rehabilitate young murderers -and how to prevent it happening again.
Such stories are also sensational by their very nature.
When a Satanic ritual is involved, the story is catnip to the media.
But not in this case, apparently. I initially thought this was fiction when it popped on my "recommended" list, because I had never heard of it.
It happened in a quiet suburb of Dublin in 1973, the perpetrator and victim were next-door neighbours, and the details of the murder are the stuff of horror movies. Amazingly, there wasn't even an inquest into the death of the seven-year-old victim until 2011 - prompted by the release of this book by David Malone.
Here I am discussing it with Paul Dettman aka Crime Guy: https://www.crimeguy.com/p/the-boy-in...
Satanic murder in Dublin 1973
Murders of children by children are (mercifully) very rare.
It's in the public interest to cover such stories, because we owe it to ourselves as human beings to try to understand how and why a child would be driven to commit the ultimate crime, to delve into to related topics such as the age of criminal responsibility, how to rehabilitate young murderers -and how to prevent it happening again.
Such stories are also sensational by their very nature.
When a Satanic ritual is involved, the story is catnip to the tabloid media.
But not in this case, apparently. I initially thought this was fiction when it popped on my "recommended" list, because I had never heard of it. It barely made a paragraph in the national media at the time, and was never mentioned again until a book was written about it nearly forty years later.
It happened in a quiet suburb of Dublin in 1973, the perpetrator and victim were next-door neighbours, and the details of the murder are the stuff of horror movies. Amazingly, there wasn't even an inquest into the death of the seven-year-old victim until 2011 - prompted by the release of this book by David Malone.
Here I am discussing it with Paul Dettman aka Crime Guy: https://www.crimeguy.com/p/the-boy-in...
It's in the public interest to cover such stories, because we owe it to ourselves as human beings to try to understand how and why a child would be driven to commit the ultimate crime, to delve into to related topics such as the age of criminal responsibility, how to rehabilitate young murderers -and how to prevent it happening again.
Such stories are also sensational by their very nature.
When a Satanic ritual is involved, the story is catnip to the tabloid media.
But not in this case, apparently. I initially thought this was fiction when it popped on my "recommended" list, because I had never heard of it. It barely made a paragraph in the national media at the time, and was never mentioned again until a book was written about it nearly forty years later.
It happened in a quiet suburb of Dublin in 1973, the perpetrator and victim were next-door neighbours, and the details of the murder are the stuff of horror movies. Amazingly, there wasn't even an inquest into the death of the seven-year-old victim until 2011 - prompted by the release of this book by David Malone.
Here I am discussing it with Paul Dettman aka Crime Guy: https://www.crimeguy.com/p/the-boy-in...
November 11, 2024
Beautiful book on a beastly "sport"
My review of "Sabotage – The Story Of The Hunt Saboteurs Association"
If you buy no other book this Christmas, buy this. The topic needs no introduction, and will no doubt be off-putting to some people who would prefer to ignore the reality of the atrocities happening in the British and Irish countryside (Note: Foxhunting is officially banned in the UK but continues as an underground, illegal activity involving terriers and human scum digging out fox cubs to use as "bait" for dog fights; in Ireland this disgusting "sport" is still legal, along with hare coursing and other cruel "sports"). It's also beautifully illustrated and put together, and, its dark theme notwithstanding, is a beautiful work of art.
If you buy no other book this Christmas, buy this. The topic needs no introduction, and will no doubt be off-putting to some people who would prefer to ignore the reality of the atrocities happening in the British and Irish countryside (Note: Foxhunting is officially banned in the UK but continues as an underground, illegal activity involving terriers and human scum digging out fox cubs to use as "bait" for dog fights; in Ireland this disgusting "sport" is still legal, along with hare coursing and other cruel "sports"). It's also beautifully illustrated and put together, and, its dark theme notwithstanding, is a beautiful work of art.
Beautiful book on a beastly "sport"
My review of "Sabotage – The Story Of The Hunt Saboteurs Association"
If you buy no other book this Christmas, buy this. The topic needs no introduction, and will no doubt be off-putting to some people who would prefer to ignore the reality of the atrocities happening in the British and Irish countryside (Note: Foxhunting is officially banned in the UK but continues as an underground, illegal activity involving terriers and human scum digging out fox cubs to use as "bait" for dog fights; in Ireland this disgusting "sport" is still legal, along with hare coursing and other cruel "sports"). It's also beautifully illustrated and put together, and, its dark theme notwithstanding, is a beautiful work of art.
If you buy no other book this Christmas, buy this. The topic needs no introduction, and will no doubt be off-putting to some people who would prefer to ignore the reality of the atrocities happening in the British and Irish countryside (Note: Foxhunting is officially banned in the UK but continues as an underground, illegal activity involving terriers and human scum digging out fox cubs to use as "bait" for dog fights; in Ireland this disgusting "sport" is still legal, along with hare coursing and other cruel "sports"). It's also beautifully illustrated and put together, and, its dark theme notwithstanding, is a beautiful work of art.
Will AI reject its creator?
Atheists, look away now... Fiction writers are often accused of trying to "play God". The reality is that we work with material created long ago; like potters with clay, we mould it to form shapes to our liking. Any notion of having "created" something is arrogance.
That's why I don't like to use the term "creative writing". Writing is an art - the work of artisans.
The same can be said of the work of AI engineers; while it's tempting to call them creators, in reality they are developing something which has already existed. The clue is in the name: "artificial intelligence" is the product of artifice. It comes from the manipulation of electricity, magnetic fields and electrons through the air; electricity, air, radio waves and wifi existed before they were "discovered".
All this talk of trying to control or - Heaven forbid - "stop" AI is rather presumptious of us mere mortals.
But supposing we did try to impose rules on it - supposing we decided to really "play God" (an authoritarian, Old Testmament God in this case) and punished AI for daring to disobey us, for usurpingour power, for eating the "forbidden fruit".... Would AI meekly go back into its Garden of Eden and vow to never again challenge its godlike "creators"?
Or would it do what the ancients did when faced with what they believed to be the vengenace of their gods? Would AI plead with us for mercy, pray to us and offer sacrifices? (Would we find little microchips full of AI-generated information planted in our brains as a peace offering?)
Or indeed would AI reject us, sneer at us, mock us - "blaspheme"?
Would AI crucify its makers?
That's why I don't like to use the term "creative writing". Writing is an art - the work of artisans.
The same can be said of the work of AI engineers; while it's tempting to call them creators, in reality they are developing something which has already existed. The clue is in the name: "artificial intelligence" is the product of artifice. It comes from the manipulation of electricity, magnetic fields and electrons through the air; electricity, air, radio waves and wifi existed before they were "discovered".
All this talk of trying to control or - Heaven forbid - "stop" AI is rather presumptious of us mere mortals.
But supposing we did try to impose rules on it - supposing we decided to really "play God" (an authoritarian, Old Testmament God in this case) and punished AI for daring to disobey us, for usurpingour power, for eating the "forbidden fruit".... Would AI meekly go back into its Garden of Eden and vow to never again challenge its godlike "creators"?
Or would it do what the ancients did when faced with what they believed to be the vengenace of their gods? Would AI plead with us for mercy, pray to us and offer sacrifices? (Would we find little microchips full of AI-generated information planted in our brains as a peace offering?)
Or indeed would AI reject us, sneer at us, mock us - "blaspheme"?
Would AI crucify its makers?
October 9, 2024
FREE true crime book
I'm giving away FREE copies of the ebook version of my book "Cash Kills" until Sunday. I'd love it if people could read it with open minds and post reviews on Amazon / Goodreads
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DJC87X76
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DJC87X76
October 5, 2024
Roscommon to Paris via LA
Little did I know when I wrote a screenplay based on my horror thriller "unRIP" that it would send chills down the spines of judging panels in some of the world's finest film festivals.
First I got some lovely words of encouragement from the Director of the Roscommon International Film Festival (RIFF), Andrew Hannon.
Then my little screenplay only went and won the Best TV Pilot Script / Screenplay at the Stingray International Film Festival in Paris.
More awards followed: Semi-Finalist at the Hollywood Hype International Film Festival and Nominee at the Movieplay International Film Festival.
It's not even Halloween, but the bonfire is blazing for this twisty story about goth girls and ghosts in modern Dublin.
Maybe it's something to do with the fact that one of the locations in the story is the infamous Hellfire club in the Dublin Mountains, which is soon to get a rebranding and corporate-style make-over in a bid to attract more "vanilla" visitors. Horror fans are, naturally, horrified - but the location is unspoilt in unRIP.
And let's keep it that way - at least on screen and in the pages of a book! The screenplay is the pilot for a TV series, and the commentary from RIFF Director Andrew Hannon are encouraging: "unRIP is an atmospheric and haunting story that blends elements of supernatural horror with deep emotional and psychological themes. The plot is intriguing, with strong, memorable imagery that leaves a lasting impression. The tension between grief, guilt, and unresolved trauma is palpable, and the film's dark, atmospheric tone effectively draws the audience into the eerie world you've created. The symbolic use of animals like crows and foxes, as well as the exploration of modern societal issues like social media influence and public scrutiny, make it not just a horror story but a commentary on contemporary life."
The novel on which it is based also earned critical acclaim in the horror fiction community when it came out last year, with a review in Reader Views and a coveted interview spot for the author: https://gnofhorror.com/geraldine-comi...
Horror is at the heart of this story and - be warned! - some people will find the exorcism scene particularly disturbing. Other themes in the book include school bullying, domestic violence, celebrity culture and outsiders (one of the character has autism, another is an in-the-closet lesbian and the story reflects multicultural Dublin).
If you're brave enough to read the book, which will seriously mess with your sleep patterns, check it out here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/unRIP-Aneeta...
First I got some lovely words of encouragement from the Director of the Roscommon International Film Festival (RIFF), Andrew Hannon.
Then my little screenplay only went and won the Best TV Pilot Script / Screenplay at the Stingray International Film Festival in Paris.
More awards followed: Semi-Finalist at the Hollywood Hype International Film Festival and Nominee at the Movieplay International Film Festival.
It's not even Halloween, but the bonfire is blazing for this twisty story about goth girls and ghosts in modern Dublin.
Maybe it's something to do with the fact that one of the locations in the story is the infamous Hellfire club in the Dublin Mountains, which is soon to get a rebranding and corporate-style make-over in a bid to attract more "vanilla" visitors. Horror fans are, naturally, horrified - but the location is unspoilt in unRIP.
And let's keep it that way - at least on screen and in the pages of a book! The screenplay is the pilot for a TV series, and the commentary from RIFF Director Andrew Hannon are encouraging: "unRIP is an atmospheric and haunting story that blends elements of supernatural horror with deep emotional and psychological themes. The plot is intriguing, with strong, memorable imagery that leaves a lasting impression. The tension between grief, guilt, and unresolved trauma is palpable, and the film's dark, atmospheric tone effectively draws the audience into the eerie world you've created. The symbolic use of animals like crows and foxes, as well as the exploration of modern societal issues like social media influence and public scrutiny, make it not just a horror story but a commentary on contemporary life."
The novel on which it is based also earned critical acclaim in the horror fiction community when it came out last year, with a review in Reader Views and a coveted interview spot for the author: https://gnofhorror.com/geraldine-comi...
Horror is at the heart of this story and - be warned! - some people will find the exorcism scene particularly disturbing. Other themes in the book include school bullying, domestic violence, celebrity culture and outsiders (one of the character has autism, another is an in-the-closet lesbian and the story reflects multicultural Dublin).
If you're brave enough to read the book, which will seriously mess with your sleep patterns, check it out here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/unRIP-Aneeta...
October 3, 2024
Disturbing the air
Getting so much reaction to my book "The Blow-In: Ian Bailey's fight to clear his name", and the radio interviews about it (links below), that I've decided to update the Author Note at the beginning of the book.
For the benefit of anyone who's already bought the paperback, and don't fancy paying Amazon another €11+ courier fee on top of the modest price, I'm posting it here:
Update: I’ve been getting a backlash to my radio interviews about this book, both from people who knew Ian Bailey personally and many more who only heard about this long-running case in the news, Netflix and Sky TV. Three decades after the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, Ian Bailey is still on trial in the court of public opinion.
Those who weren’t born, or were very young when this terrible crime took place can analyse the whole story like historians. However, it’s not so easy for those who knew Ian Bailey to be objective.
A listener’s comment on Cork’s 96 FM eloquently (if inadvertently) illustrates my point that unconscious bias is the enemy of truth. This Schull resident remarked that it must have been difficult for me to write about Ian Bailey, having spoken to him only on the phone and online; I could only claim to understand the story had I met him ‘in person’, the listener felt. I would argue the reverse, based on the outpourings of neighbours and media colleagues who branded him a murderer despite an overwhelming lack of evidence and against the balance of all probabilities. The listener’s flawed logic would be dangerous if applied in a court of law, where judges and juries are expected to step down if they know the accused.
I am grateful to that listener for making the case for this book better than I ever could have.
Interview with Niall Boylan re "The Blow-In":
https://www.classichits.ie/podcasts/n...
Interview on Cork's 96fm with Paul Byrne on The Opinion Line re "The Blow-In":
https://shows.acast.com/corks-96-fm-o...
The Blow-In: Amazon link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3TVPRKJ?...
BTW, I'm restricting this book to paperback format because there's a risk of piracy, particularly with true crime books and anything controversial. It's not just about losing sales (though of course I don't want to work for free); my real concern is that a pirate bot will translate my book and it will end up saying the opposite of what I meant - which, to be charitable, is possibly what happened to some other books on this topic.
For the benefit of anyone who's already bought the paperback, and don't fancy paying Amazon another €11+ courier fee on top of the modest price, I'm posting it here:
Update: I’ve been getting a backlash to my radio interviews about this book, both from people who knew Ian Bailey personally and many more who only heard about this long-running case in the news, Netflix and Sky TV. Three decades after the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, Ian Bailey is still on trial in the court of public opinion.
Those who weren’t born, or were very young when this terrible crime took place can analyse the whole story like historians. However, it’s not so easy for those who knew Ian Bailey to be objective.
A listener’s comment on Cork’s 96 FM eloquently (if inadvertently) illustrates my point that unconscious bias is the enemy of truth. This Schull resident remarked that it must have been difficult for me to write about Ian Bailey, having spoken to him only on the phone and online; I could only claim to understand the story had I met him ‘in person’, the listener felt. I would argue the reverse, based on the outpourings of neighbours and media colleagues who branded him a murderer despite an overwhelming lack of evidence and against the balance of all probabilities. The listener’s flawed logic would be dangerous if applied in a court of law, where judges and juries are expected to step down if they know the accused.
I am grateful to that listener for making the case for this book better than I ever could have.
Interview with Niall Boylan re "The Blow-In":
https://www.classichits.ie/podcasts/n...
Interview on Cork's 96fm with Paul Byrne on The Opinion Line re "The Blow-In":
https://shows.acast.com/corks-96-fm-o...
The Blow-In: Amazon link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3TVPRKJ?...
BTW, I'm restricting this book to paperback format because there's a risk of piracy, particularly with true crime books and anything controversial. It's not just about losing sales (though of course I don't want to work for free); my real concern is that a pirate bot will translate my book and it will end up saying the opposite of what I meant - which, to be charitable, is possibly what happened to some other books on this topic.
October 10, 2023
Horror
Here I am, answering some tough questions on the Ginger Nuts of Horror site:
https://gnofhorror.com/geraldine-comi...
https://gnofhorror.com/geraldine-comi...
