Unbound launches Irish working class writers anthology

Unbound is launching an anthology of working class writers from across Ireland, featuring original pieces by Roddy Doyle and Lisa McInerney alongside lesser known authors and edited by Paul McVeigh.

Now open to pledges, The 32: An Anthology of Irish Working Class Voices will bring together 16 famous names, plus another 16 new and emerging writers, in a collection of memoir and essays on the working-class experience.

Doyle and McInerney are joined by authors including Kevin Barry, Melatu Uche Okorie, Rick O’Shea, Dermot Bolger. The 16 new writers will be selected by an open call, with support from the World Book Festival, Irish Writers Centre, Munster Literature Centre, and Words Ireland.

The collection will be edited by The Good Son (Salt) author McVeigh, who contributed to last year’s Common People anthology, edited by Kit de Waal. De Waal said: “Like Common People, The 32 will celebrate our lives and experiences and offer new and emerging writers an opportunity to be published. It’s important, it’s timely, and it’s going to be great. I can hardly wait to read it.”

McVeigh said: “I’m honoured to be editing this important anthology. As a working class boy from Belfast, I didn’t think I could be a writer. I didn’t see my world portrayed in books and I didn’t see examples of people like me writing books. I hope this book will change that for future generations.”