Meet the author - Dennis Carey
January 9, 2025
Long-awaited sequel arrives
If it’s a land war they want, there are people prepared to fight back.
In 2016 Mayo-born author, Dennis Carey, released An Untilled Field, a historical story of the violent eviction of the Walshe family in 1870s rural Ireland. Based on true events the story focused on sixteen-year-old Liam Walshe who watched his parents being taken away by the Royal Irish Constabulary leaving him homeless and caring for his four-year-old brother Aiden. As his adventure unfolds, Liam makes contact with representatives of the Irish National Land League, the organisation founded at the Imperial Hotel in Castlebar in 1879 to fight for justice for land tenants.
Almost nine years later, Dennis has released the book’s gripping sequel, Land Wars.
The stories are set, predominantly, in County Mayo during the Irish Land Wars of the late 1800s. In both books, Dennis draws on actual events in England and Ireland to bring the harsh history of this period to life on the page.
“I owed it to young Liam Walshe and the other main characters in the first book to continue their story,” Dennis said. “Unfortunately, in the sequel, life doesn’t get any easier for Liam and his family. If anything, it gets more dangerous.”
Dennis has been writing since leaving Further Education in August 2014. This is his fifth novel. Along with An Untilled Field his other titles are The Ditcher, Sins of the Mothers, and Killing Alma. He will be here at Coventry Irish Society on Tuesday 28 th January 2025 at 2.00pm to talk about the books and the inspiration behind them.
Copies of all of his books will be available to sign and dedicate after the talk.
In honour of Mo Mowlam, we are creating a collage called In Her Footsteps . This collage of pictures of ordinary, everyday women in our community will pay tribute to the unsung heroes, past and present, who have shaped our values and made the world we live in a better place, such as our nurses, Irish mammies, nannies, and any woman who we find inspirational. The collage will be on display at the Coventry Irish Society and will be unveiled at the Equal-i-tea on 19 August 2025 . If you would like to contribute to the collage, then please could you send us a photograph together with the name of your nominated person and a short sentence or two on who they are and why they inspire you. This will be quite a big project and therefore we will not be able to return photographs. We would also ask that written consent is obtained from any living person to be featured in the collage. Contributions can be handed to a member of staff in the office or emailed to: cis@covirishsoc.org.uk up and until 23 July 2025.
Mo Mowlam was a real changemaker; her courage and humanity played a vital role in bringing about The Good Friday Agreement / Belfast Agreement. Mo was an extraordinary, inspirational woman, and we’re very proud of her Coventry roots. We invite you to join us at our cross-community Equal-i-tea on Tuesday 19 August 2025 to celebrate Mo’s life and values on the 20th anniversary of her passing. Join us for a cross-community afternoon tea & an opportunity to learn more about Mo and her values as a peace builder. We will also unveil our community collage; In Her Footsteps – A tribute to the everyday women in our community who have shaped our values and made the world a better place. Time: 12.00 – 3.00 pm Venue: The Coventry Irish Society, 2nd Floor, Eaton House, Eaton Road, Coventry CV1 2FJ Admission: £10 per person (which covers entry and an afternoon tea with sandwiches and cake). Advanced booking is essential for this ticket-only event. Tickets can be obtained by seeing a member of staff in the office, or by emailing: cis@covirishsoc.org.uk or by telephoning us on 024 7625 6629.
We are hiring for an Early Stage Memory Loss Support Worker This post contract is initially for 1 year - role extension TBC additional funding. Salary: £10,000 P.A (£25,000 pro rata), 15 hours per week. Role pattern is 10am-4pm, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday (excluding lunch). About us: Established in 1993, Coventry Irish Society (CIS) is a Charity providing a wide range of community health and support services to the Irish Community in Coventry. The Coventry Irish Society requires an Early Stage Memory Loss Support Worker to facilitate a 1 half day per week Memory Loss Support Group and a half-day per week Walking Group for the local Irish Community. The role includes working with Carers and increasing mental health awareness to support the local Irish Community. The charity predominantly supports Irish Elders, but also supports Second and Third generation Irish, Irish Survivors and Irish Travellers. To apply for this role, please email your CV with cover letter detailing your experience and skills in line with role requirements and any additional information you think may be relevant. Download and view full job role description below.
