I’m an author and journalist.
My latest book is The Driving Force, a collection of short stories on a theme of movement (whether actual or metaphorical). Other published work includes Pretend We’re Dead, a novel about a group of slackers hanging out in mid-1990s Cork City; !!SuperHyperMEGASTAR!! (2020), a comedy which crosses Cyrano de Bergerac and The X-Factor; Devil Hang Over Me, a tight, menacing psychological thriller (2020); Red Raven, a Young Adult urban fantasy (2020); YA mystery Shiver the Whole Night Through (2014); The Polka Dot Girl (2013), a noir-style detective story with a twist (all the characters are women); and Even Flow, a thriller about a gang of feminist vigilantes (2012).
In 2007 I brought out a non-fiction book called GAA Confidential, and released a comic novel as an e-book (Cold! Steel! Justice!!!) in 2011. Earlier this year one of my short stories was included in Brevity is the Soul, a collection of comic tales from Liberties Press. My books have received excellent reviews, which you can read on the right-hand side of my homepage.
For two decades I’ve written reviews, features and opinion columns for several newspapers and magazines, including the Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Guardian and RTÉ Guide. Several short stories have appeared in literary journals in Ireland, UK and US. I’ve also written a play, which has had actor readings in Manhattan and Belfast, while one of my film scripts placed in the top 5% of 6,000 entrants to the Nicholl Fellowship competition, run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (Oscars).
I live in the west of Ireland, and am currently writing a new book and working on a screenplay adaptation of The Polka Dot Girl with New York-based French filmmaker Éléonore Pourriat (debut feature, Je ne suis pas un homme facile, was released by Netflix in 2018).
Have a look around the site for news and excerpts from my books, and various articles from down the years, or check out my Amazon author page for my other books. Please email darraghmcmanus(AT)yahoo(DOT)com re. journalism work, or if you’re a publisher interested in any of my books (including those released on Kindle by myself).
April 28th, 2014 at 2:07 pm
Hi Darragh, I tried to send you an email via your address at the end of your radio article in WE review..but it came back to me!! Anyhow, I read and enjoy your articles every Saturday but I just had to email you to thank you for making me laugh this morning re your cyclist tirade!! Hilarious and so true.
From a big fan!
Anne
(That even rhymes.).
October 15th, 2014 at 5:18 am
Hi Darragh.
I just read an article you wrote about smoking, “Make tobacco illegal or back off and leave us alone”.
It was a very clear, logical, articulate and interesting, due to the fact that it wasn’t robotic and repetitive – it felt like you were just in the room talking to me! It was awesome.
I very rarely look up a journalist, and when I do it’s usually just to see what they look like. However, I knew you weren’t just another guy reporting the facts and findings. Now after flicking through your site here, I realize my hunch was right.
You have a new fan and his name (my name of course) is … ME 😀
I hope to become a successful screenplay writer and YouTube comedian, but I’m currently battling social and generalized anxiety – I’m very hopeful and optimistic nonetheless.
I know how to write and I know Im a damn good writer too, but I was wondering if you could give me a few quick tips on how to get organized and concentrate on the task of writing itself?
Live long and prosper,
Kev
January 15th, 2018 at 2:31 pm
Daragh
I have been in touch with you in the past re over-coverage of sport on radio at weekends…particularly Newstalk and all local stations. I agree that this is because it is cheap and provides a silly soapbox for football pundit bollixes!
I am not very stupid! I love watching a football match of any kind, but I do not want the Dunphys of the world to provide a couple of hours of inate analysis of what I have just seen.
However, Daragh, my main gripe with radio today is the continuous coverage of peoples’ medical problems. We all have medical issues, so we are not all terribly interested in listening to the, no doubt, very serious quesions,of other peoples’ medical issues!
I am an inveterate listener of radio, so if you feel like listening to a gripe, comment or critisism,please feel free to give me a ring or a mail here in the depths of county Longford!
Regards
Eamonn Tynan
086 678 8617
ectynan@gmail.com
January 15th, 2018 at 2:38 pm
The word is “Inane” not “inate”!
Eamonn
August 16th, 2018 at 12:13 pm
Hello Darragh,
my name is Harri Hampson. I’m a Birmingham City University Student studying Visual Communication Illustration. I’m doing research for my dissertation, and I happened to stumble across one of your articles in ‘The Guardian’ online, titled ‘What becomes of Illustration in Fiction?’ I’ve read the article, and I was wondering if I can ask you questions about the article please? Is it okay with you?
kind regards
Harri Hampson
August 16th, 2018 at 3:16 pm
Hi Harri,
Yeah that’s fine – do you want to email me? darraghmcmanus (AT) yahoo (DOT) com
August 20th, 2018 at 1:19 pm
Hello Darragh, it’s Harri here. I emailed you a coupled of questions the other day, but I just want to ask, is your email address ‘darraghmcmanus@yahoo.com’? Kind regards, Harri
February 11th, 2020 at 12:55 pm
Liked your article on Sinn Fein. I too cannot vote for a party that still needs to run things past an army wing . Keep up the good work. A lost votor. Kieran Sullivan.
February 11th, 2020 at 1:13 pm
Thanks Kieran!
June 6th, 2020 at 6:40 pm
Ola! just rereading your Irish Independant articles from Oct 2016 and Mar 2017, ‘Driven crazy by obsession with America’ and ‘Let’s yank the plug on obsession with America’, so good I cut them out and saved them. As on the ball then as it is now. Hibernia’s media never moves on!!
June 8th, 2020 at 9:24 am
Thanks Seamus! Much appreciated
October 16th, 2021 at 3:06 pm
Hi Darragh,
Re the transformation of two syllable words to three syllables – it doesn’t stop there. There seems to be a new medical condition called ‘artheritis’ which is referred to in a frequently aired commercial.
Further research may reveal a close affinity between the extra syllable brigade and the cohort who begin all their sentences with ‘so’.
Nothing can be done about these irritating aberrations I’m afraid…. the genie is out of the bottel.
October 19th, 2021 at 10:47 am
Thanks Jim! Artheritis, yeah – I’d forgotten that. Pressures of space also forbade me mentioning one of my real pet hates – the pronunciation of “ing” with this sort of extended ringing “n” sound e.g. “runninnn”, “talkinnn” etc etc. I’ve even heard it in names, and the middle of words – apparently there’s a former Ireland international called “Kenny Cunninnnham”, according to his co-hosts on radio…
December 7th, 2021 at 10:55 am
God who are you? I was just reading your piece on spiked this morning. Wow! Can’t believe I’ve never heard or read anything by you before but now I can’t wait. You are literally the sanest Irish person I don’t know. Love it, truly.
Emma (born in Manchester, residing in Cork).
December 7th, 2021 at 1:30 pm
Thank you, Emma! Very nice to hear. Also there are many more sane people out there than we might think, despite all this madness. They’re not making their voices heard yet. Hopefully soon.
April 6th, 2022 at 11:59 am
Just read your piece in spiked re the Oscars which I enjoyed very much.
April 7th, 2022 at 3:21 pm
Thanks Bill!
April 20th, 2022 at 2:05 pm
Dear Darragh
Just a quick note to thank you for your exceptionally generous review of my book The Irish Difference in last Saturday’s Indo. Please review all my future books!
Fergal Tobin
April 20th, 2022 at 2:12 pm
No worries Fergal, fantastic piece of work
November 28th, 2022 at 9:15 pm
Marty Whelan is the best early morning mental health salve on Irish radio – such a gentle invitation to join and engage with each morning. A great invitation to start each day with calmness and peace – an antidote to being woken up to violence, strife and despair – the rest of the day will allow all of that to filter in – let us all get some time to say ‘good morning ‘ to the world first. That is the opportunity that Marty Whelan offers.
November 29th, 2022 at 9:15 am
Bernadette, thanks so much for this brilliant comment. I think you’ve captured Marty’s appeal better than I did in the article!