Leaning on Gates

by Seamus O'Rourke

In the sequel to award-winning playwright Seamus O'Rourke's popular first memoir, Standing in Gaps, this innocent Leitrim lad finally flees the nest, briefly sampling life in New York, Dublin and London, before inevitably returning to his beloved, duller-than-dishwater home, to a life which now includes alcohol, Dr. Hook and some low-budget romance.
But man does not live on romance alone and Seamus needs to get to the bottom of his general uselessness, spurred on as always by his ever-the-realist father, who prophesied his mediocrity from an early age. Seamus continues to underachieve whilst struggling to interpret his Auld Lad's advice and watered down compliments – 'You weren't as bad as I often saw ya', 'They must be badly stuck, if they asked you' and the classic 'What kind of an eejit are ya?' – in a memoir that captures the innocence and the absurdity of rural life in 1980s and 1990s Ireland.

Genres: Irish Literature, Ireland, Memoir, Biography

333 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 12, 2024

Reviews

[Gearóid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely book to read.
Full of humour,warmth and humanity.
A real joy to read.
Will have to go to some of his plays also.
Highly recommend.

[Terry Kinane · Rating 3 out of 5]

good story. I listened to the audio version. I just found the narrator a little annoying!

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable. An easy read. I tired of all the alcohol, though.

[Martina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book with beautifully written

[Laura M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read. I really couldn't imagine going to America for a trip and deciding to stay and then leaving a few months later. I really was not expecting that last line.

[Peter Thew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seamus O'Rourke's second volume of autobiography lacks the instant humour of his childhood related in Standing in Gaps. His life over the seven years of this book is soaked in alcohol, a skill learned in extended visits to New York, London and Dublin then honed once he'd returned home. Despite the visits abroad, south Leitrim remains the centre of his world. By the end of the book, he has given up playing football (weakened knees and alcohol taking their toll), has started a business using his woodworking skills and - most importantly - discovered the world of drama through the newly built Corn Mill theatre in Carrigallen.

His writing is magical capturing the voices of Leitrim and the many ups and downs of his story. I look forward to the next chapter of this life.

[Susan Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another beautifully written, 'lyrical' account of the author's experience of rural life in Ireland and his ventures further afield. Having been to see two of Seamus O'Rourke's shows, I found myself reading the book with his accent - the best way to enjoy his writing. Seamus is a master storyteller and I'd love to see another follow on book from this one.

[Adrian Fingleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the predecessor which covered his childhood, this volume chronicles his transition to manhood. Lots of home truths in there, how hard it is to tell your nearest and dearest that you do, actually, love them, and so on. I did enjoy it but I still think he's better live than in print.

[Tess S · Rating 2 out of 5]

A simple reminder that at the end of your days, you’re judged on what you’ve done, not all you pondered. Anyone can notice issues in the world, but the people who take in active role in community and “do the little things” benefit society the most.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Seamus O'Rourke.

[Deirdre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent....another great book from Seamus O'Rourke

[Fiona Togher · Rating 1 out of 5]

I must be missing something 🤷‍♀️ Found it hard going…

[Anne Flaherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very witty but also a deep look into the mind of a teenager trying to plan out his future. Bit of us all in the story

[Marie Hartnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read, not as funny as Standing in Gaps, but still interspersed with laughs. A poignant and witty read of 1980s Ireland

[Simon Axon · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read, if not a bit rambling and self-deprecating, as if hoping someone would contradict him. I couldn’t wait to just finish it.

[Brian Dorgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.51

[Christina Mooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book full of good humor, I laughed so many times reading this.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about life in Leitrim in a memoir that captures the innocence and the absurdity of rural life in 1980s and 1990s Ireland.

[Joe Donnellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Partly because I identify with every part of it but it's also excellent, Irish country writing. Poetry

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. At times, laugh out loud, at times with tears in your eyes. A great insight into the complexity of the relationships between Irish fathers and their sons. Highly recommended.

[Lorea · Rating 5 out of 5]

How it feels to grow up summed up in lots of beautifully described moments. Sometimes sad, sometimes happy, sometimes frustrating and lots of just passing time.

[Caroline McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful laugh-out-loud book this is! Full of Irish depreciating humour often disguised as insults; so totally Irish! I was raised in Ireland for most of my life and I remember the 1980s very well, so I found this to be very relatable to me.

I had no trouble giving this a 5 star review. It is well deserved. This is the 2nd book in a so-far 2-book series but I found I didn't need to read the first book to be able to read this one.

I very much recommend this book 😊

[Siobhan Mccormack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed. V witty. Loved the Audio narration