You feel a sense of urgency, especially at my advanced age, when you're staring into the grave.

First of all there is always that artistic challenge of creating something. Or the particular experience to take slum life in that period and make something out of it in the form of a book. And then I felt some kind of responsibility to my family.

I never expected to write a book about a slum in Ireland that was going to catapult me, as they say, into some kind of - onto the best seller list.

Ireland, once you live there, you're seduced by it.

When I was a kid, I was a pretty good runner, and there was nothing like winning a race.