dcutimes1206
16/01/2007
15:27
Page 45
Hell hath no fury
Reading the first few chapters of Mia Gallagher’s debut novel HellFire is like
learning a new language. It is written in Dublin dialect, complete with
unconventional spelling, idioms and colloquialisms that are at first
demanding and frustrating. But tantalising too. And as with any learning
experience the knowledge gained leads to increased understanding and
possibilities. By chapter three, the reader has passed the foundation course
and is hungry for more.
The writing style is actually essential to the tale. Told in the
first-person voice of Lucy Dolan, the novel opens with her release from
jail. As she rambles the streets of her native city, she
remembers times past and reflects on her life growing up in the
grimness of drug-ridden Dublin in the 1980s and 90s when the HIV/AIDS
epidemic was starting to bite and families were torn asunder by addiction and
dysfunction. The characterisations of her family members and snapshots of her
HellFire
Mia Gallagher
Penguin Ireland 2006 ?14.99
660pp ISBN 1844880818
life history are compelling. The descriptions are startling in their vividness and,
from very early on in the novel, it is impossible not to have formed a clear
mental image of this young woman and all the major players in her life.
The hell fire of the title relates to the infamous Hell Fire Club in the
foothills of the Dublin Mountains which was the scene, 13 years earlier, of an
horrific event which Lucy now attempts to confront and deconstruct. That
journey brings her down the side streets and slums of memory lane where the
demons lurk and the views are not always pretty. By now, though, the reader is
fully engaged and rooting for her every step of the way.
The author has a multifaceted and bulging portfolio to her credit as an
actor, playwright and journalist. But this is a debut novel – her first foray into
extended fictional prose where characters’ lives must be imagined and
presented within the context of a tale and done so with credibility and
humanity. The author has achieved this in spades with HellFire. There is
boldness in the style and crafting that exudes a confidence and expertise that
many more seasoned novelists can only aspire to. There is no hint of timidity or
reserve in the 660 pages as the various themes and emotions are explored.
And the written phonetics that originally present a challenge to the
reader ultimately lend a lyricism to the reading, adding dimension and
increased understanding. It is a deep and sometimes dark novel but with
wonderful glimpses of the personality and soul of the true Dub. That is not to
say it is Roddy Doyle-esque – there’s not a Sharon Curley or a Jimmy Rabbitte
in sight. There is, though, believability in the characters and their setting that
keeps you turning the pages and sympathising with a girl and a community
living on the margins. Powerful stuff. A highly commendable offering from an
obviously talented author.
– Berna Cox
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