Description

Ballina and Beyond is the final instalment of Aubrey Malone’s celebrated Ballina trilogy, bringing together poetry, autobiographical reflections, short fiction, and personal essays in a thoughtful exploration of memory, identity, and belonging. While the earlier volumes centred primarily on Ballina, this book broadens its scope to include Dublin and the wider world, reflecting the author’s personal and literary journey beyond his hometown without ever losing sight of the place that shaped him.

Throughout the collection, Malone moves effortlessly between fact and fiction, past and present, combining lyrical poetry with engaging prose to examine family, friendship, travel, literature, and the passage of time. His writing captures the nostalgia of looking back while embracing the experiences that come with new places and changing perspectives. Despite its wider geographical reach, Ballina remains the emotional heart of the book, serving as a constant source of inspiration and reflection.

Warm, reflective, and deeply personal, Ballina and Beyond will appeal to readers who enjoy literary memoir, contemporary Irish writing, poetry, and stories rooted in place. Rich in atmosphere and emotional honesty, it offers a fitting conclusion to Aubrey Malone’s trilogy, celebrating the lasting influence of home while exploring the journeys that carry us beyond it.

ISBN 9781913144180