Tipperary author included in new rural anthology Around The Farm Gate

A Tipperary author has had his story included as part of Around The Farm Gate, a unique anthology of Irish rural memories which is hotly-tipped to be a best-seller this year.

Patrick O’Dwyer hails from Tipperary town and is married with three children. His story ‘The Cow That Went On Holidays’ brings a certain humour to the collection as he details how a family set out annually with one of their milch cows accompanying on the train as they went on holiday.

Around The Farm Gate, published by Ballpoint Press in collaboration with RTE, is a unique collection of 50 stories written by different authors from around the country detailing their experiences from the time in which they grew up.

The stories are a brief snapshot in time and offer a rare glimpse of our recent history, encapsulating and preserving the traditions of several generations in a rapidly disappearing rural landscape.

The presenter of RTE Radio 1’s popular Countrywide programme, Damien O’Reilly said: “Around the Farm Gate is a rich tapestry of unique memories and stories of life on the land in rural Ireland, a collection of events that happened but are seldom documented, until now.

“From threshing oats, driving cattle to the local street market, thinning beet or cocking hay, the experience of growing up in rural Ireland is full of anecdotes and yarns focused mainly on life on the land. Too often though, these stories die with the beholder and are often left untold.

“Growing up in rural Ireland for much of the 20th century wasn’t easy. Farming life was a tough existence but through a combination of a strong faith and an honest work ethic, farming families managed to keep the show on the road and much of that life shines through in this wonderful collection of stories from across the country.”