This photograph of me with Stephen Cosgrove, my interviewer at the Belfast Book Festival event last Thursday, shows my wife (and company photographer) Carolyn reflected in the mirror. Stephen was the perfect person to interview me about ‘In My Life’. Not only is he a music nut, he also loves the Beatles despite having only just been born when ‘She Loves You’ topped the charts. He is also a passionate supporter of integrated education in Northern Ireland.

 

When I was GS of the CWU one of our members, Frank Kerr, was murdered in an attack on Newry Sorting Office by a paramilitary organisation in 1995. Frank was one of 16 postal workers to be killed whilst going about their business during ‘the troubles’. In Franks memory our members donated money to Shimna Integrated College which Frank had helped found. The funds were used to construct a library of conflict resolution, buy a school bus and fund an annual peace award.

Although it’s moved to new premises I was pleased to hear from Stephen that the College is still thriving under it’s charismatic Head Teacher, Kevin Lambe.

 

This was my third visit to the Belfast festival and it remains one of the highlights of the literary circuit.