20 JUNE 1, 2017 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM Glendale author’s book retells Irish independence fi ght BY ANTHONY GIUDICE [email protected] @A_GIUDICEREPORT An author living in Glendale is going back to his Irish roots with his fi rst published work, “Hurling Sticks to Fountain Pens,” which chronicles the Irish fi ght for independence from 1919 to 1921. Patrick Joseph Sexton moved to the United States from his hometown in County Clare, Ireland in 1986. Aft er living in Astoria and Maspeth for a little, Sexton moved to Glendale with his wife, Joanne. “I like the security of it,” Sexton said of living in Glendale. “It’s a safe place to live. And more important, my wife feels safe. She used to have a friend here before I married her and she used to come visit the friend. And that’s how we came to be here. We lived in Maspeth for a while, but she wasn’t too pleased with it and she said, ‘I would love to live in Glendale.’ So the fi rst chance we got we came here in 1999.” Sexton has always had an affi nity for Irish history, dating back to his childhood where he would read his father’s history books about his countrymen’s fight for independence against Great Britain. He eventually began purchasing his own books and learning more about his country’s history. “I started reading about Irish history when I was only about 10,” Sexton said. “My father had this book called ‘My Fight for Irish Freedom’ by Dan Breen … and ever aft er that I had an interest in it.” He used the information he gathered from his time reading history books to create the battles and strategies his characters use in his book, which is classifi ed as historical fi ction, meaning the characters are made up, but the stories and instances they fi nd themselves in are (for the most part) historically accurate. The book follows a pair of brothers, James and John Sullivan, and their journey in the fi ght for Irish independence. The story is fast-paced and fi lled with action such as the many guerilla attacks the IRA (Irish Republican Army) conducted against the British army, suspense, as well as military and historic detail. “I would like for young people to understand that freedom is not free; you have to fi ght for it,” Sexton said. The title of the book comes from the fact that at the beginning of the war IRA soldiers would carry around hurling sticks because they did not yet have any rifl es or ammunition, and the war was ended with a treaty signed with fountain pens. “Hurling Sticks to Fountain Pens” can be purchased at the publisher’s, Dorrance Publishing Co., website, and on Amazon.com. Cover art courtesy of Patrick Joseph Sexton Glendale author Patrick Joseph Sexton had his fi rst book "Hurling Sticks to Fountain Pens," published in March. Proud to serve the troops in Maspeth As a small token of their gratitude, O’Kane Realty in Maspeth served breakfast to members of the Armed Forces and veterans prior to the May 28 Maspeth Memorial Day Parade. The meal was served inside the realty’s Grand Avenue office, just across the way from Garlinge Memorial Triangle, which is the parade’s starting point. Pictured are James O’Kane and John O’Kane with the troops. Photo courtesy of O’Kane Realty
RT06012017
To see the actual publication please follow the link above