About Irishtown by Douglas Mulkerns:
From the scenic hills of Dalkey to the burned-out crumbling inner city streets of 90s Dublin, the story follows the paths of four people struggling with different stages of heroin addiction. Set against the backdrop of Ireland’s struggle to rise above poverty and dark nationalism, the futures of each character depend very much on where they came from. As addiction leads each further down the road to crime and prison, Bren and Peter born into hardship navigate the world of beatings and prison with ease, murder less so. For Kevin and Niamh, the same world becomes increasingly unfamiliar and terrifying. As vendetta beatings escalate, the four characters become locked in a downward spiral of violence. Following one murder too many Kevin realizes he has put himself in a position of no escape, unless by a miracle there are still some good people left in the world.
