Patrick Kavanagh

In his late eighties, Charles McGlinchey and Patrick Kavanagh, local schoolmaster of Gaddyduff National School, struck up an intimate relationship that exists between a storyteller and a listener.

McGlinchey, mindful of his age was keen to extol his knowledge and experiences to an attentive listener. Similarly, Patrick Kavanagh was keen to document the days of yore and patiently transcribed McGlincheys' stories by longhand. This rewarding relationship has resulted in what has become an invaluable slice of history.

McGlinchey's stream of consciousness style of conversation told to Patrick Kavanagh has been concentrated into eighteen chapters dealing with themes ranging from the famine, emigration and landlords to poteen, poets, publicans and pilgrimages.

The manuscripts detailing McGlincheys stories lay dormant for many years until Desmond, son of the late Patrick Kavanagh, gave them to Brian Friel to edit into bookform. 'The Last of the Name' is the finished product of the journey between the storyteller, Charles McGlinchey to the listener, Patrick Kavanagh and finally to you the reader.