Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Cllr. Michael Collins was on hand at City Hall last Thursday to officially launch a new publication by Limerick columnist, author and journalist, Jim O’Brien. Matters of Great Indifference is a compilation of the weekly columns the Kildimo man writes for the Farming Independent.
“I know Jim for more than 30 years,” the Mayor said, “we played a lot of music together before we got a bit older and a bit more sensible. Jim is a great storyteller and often regaled us into the night with yarns, jokes and sagas. He was always a master of words and I am delighted that he has committed some of his words to print in this wonderful collection, 'Matters of Great Indifference'.”
Mayor Collins remarked that Jim’s job as a farming property correspondent with the Farming Independent gives him the opportunity to travel the country and affords him a unique insight into rural life. “The issues we all talk about like broadband Brexit and climate change are covered in the book, along with more personal issues like illness and bereavement,” Mr Collins said, “I particularly like his reflections on his parents and his descriptions of the trials and joys of rearing teenagers. We can all identify with the topics he takes on.”
“Jim writes a lot about growing up in Limerick and, in that regard, there are valuable nuggets of our social history to be found throughout the book. 'Matters of Great Indifference' is an important Limerick book, and a great read,” he said. “But let me warn you, be careful if reading it in public; you are liable to laugh out loud at many of the pieces.”
“As Mayor of the City and County of Limerick it gives me great pleasure to officially launch the 'Matters of Great Indifference: A reflection on modern rural living'”.
