Large crowd attends launch of award-winning debut novelist in Mayo

More than 170 people gathered at Ballinrobe Library for the launch of On The Way Out, the award-winning debut novel by local writer Liam Horan. 

The launch was conducted by author Declan Varley, who spoke about Horan’s focus on everyday life in small Irish towns.

Varley referenced the novel’s recent win of the Gerald Griffin Award for First Original Adult Fiction 2025, whose judges described the work as navigating ordinary lives “with tenderness, wit, and acuity.”

Colm Burtchaell served as Master of Ceremonies and moderated a question-and-answer session with the author.

Topics included the novel’s development, Horan’s writing process, and his return to higher education in his 50s to complete a Master’s in Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.

Dominic Taylor of the Limerick Writers’ Centre, whose Savoy Editions imprint published the book as part of the Gerald Griffin Award prize, outlined the imprint’s aim of supporting emerging Irish writers.

He noted that Horan’s book aligns with the prize’s focus on character-driven fiction connected to contemporary Irish communities.

The event featured readings by Saoirse Courtney, Jean Horan, and local poet Brian Joyce, all of whom participate in a weekly writing group in Ballinrobe.

During his remarks, Horan highlighted the proposed redevelopment of the Valkenburg complex as Ballinrobe Town Hall, stating that he believes it would contribute to the town’s cultural and economic development.

He also acknowledged the Mayo County Library staff involved in hosting the event and thanked his editor, Aisling Moroney, for her role in the book’s production.

‘On The Way Out’ follows two main characters, Louise, a shop owner facing financial pressure, and Matt, a widower, set against the backdrop of a community project in the fictional town of Rathfin. The novel addresses themes of loss, loyalty, and change within a rural Irish setting.

The book is available in bookshops in Mayo and Galway as well as online at liamhoran.info/shop.