The Team by Bernie Comaskey

 
People exuding pride, a determination to succeed and succeed they certainly did!

The Team is about solidarity and in this microcosm of fictional Ballymona for the locals and "exiles" who are magnetically drawn to their homeland like an umbilical cord attached to a newborn babe for heart-warming celebrations and reunions. Of course it's not just about solidarity, the characters also display a "sense of camaraderie and joviality" of people who exude pride and there's plenty of that in abundant quantities evident in Comaskey's recent debut novel.

The narrative is lyrical and the author has adopted an autobiographical style reminiscent of Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood, just like a soap, here everyone knows everyone else's business and I mean everyone! No secrets barred.

Johnny Murtagh, publican, needs to be "affable" and he is central to the plot in creating unity and harmony with a backdrop of volatility with the almost domineering exploits of the IRA and Sinn Fein. He is seen as a "pillar of wisdon and common sense, a diplomat and a politician." Someone who means business, extremely realistic and not stereotypical of a dim-witted Irishman, at the butt end of a stale jibe thankfully!

Cathal Moran, reverently referred to as the Master  represents the other important character to lead discussions and is pivotal in persuading the County Council to allow Ballymona to return to the glory days of hurling.
There is a balance of optimism, the "hurling fever" at re-establishing a hurling team within the community and uniting generations which is the main focus of The Team against a "pallor of gloom" which hung over Ballymona, an accurate historical account of hunger strikes, Bobby Sands' death, Cellco's closure and job losses amidst explosive politics in the 80s. Unsettling times.

Hurling has been played for over 3,000 years. It is thought to be the world's fastest field team game and shares a number of features with Gaelic football. It is Ireland's second most popular sport and in Ireland it is considered a "fixture of life."

Re-establishing a team becomes the pivotal element: "the enthusiasm for forming their own team became contagious and was whipped up almost to hysterical pitch." There were plenty of set-backs, obstacles, opposition from local villages, red tape issues with the local and county council. That kind of thing.

Whilst the battling continues and tempers are frayed with frustration, thwarted by obstacles, the characters get on with their lives and provide an entertaining pitch for enlightening the reader with extremely diverse storylines sometimes sad, sometimes dangerous but always credible. Enda Murtagh at the age of 8 almost lost his leg when Jim's tractor was idling. He was "spun around like a rag doll" and was lucky to escape with just a mangled leg, two inches shorter than the other.

Dr Harte, vindictive over Star's sexual exploits with his niece got into it a bit too deep, when engaged in some amateur surveillance of Star's trailer and informing his detective friends of irregular activity, when a revolver was pushed into the side of his neck with a menacing growl of "Where the fuck do you think you are going?" The gunman's face was "streaked with something black like charcol and he was dressed all in tight-fitting black clothes." Moments of sheer terror.

Christy Larking was one of the exiles who never lost his love for his home place having moved to England 25 years ago. He was involved in a hijack but instead of hysteria he was surprisingly calm at the prospect of death and after 12 hours the French Special Unit stormed the plane and removed the hijacker without any casualties.

The Star aka The Stud had challenging political views, a charismatic character but very complex. He treated his women like animals "circling his prey." He enjoyed the chase more than the kill. He bedded most of the young girls in Ballymona, including one of Johnny's daughters. Action had to be taken and so it was. The most talked about individual was arrested and Ballymona once more became a safe haven for sport and life.

And all the characters are Ballymona to the bone, determined to succeed and succeed they certainly did thanks to the team. I enjoyed it, you will too.

Publisher: Deel Publications. ISBN: 978 0-9553686-2-2

COPYRIGHT 2013. Permission must be obtained from the author before reproduction of any of this review.

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