I never knowingly met Frank O’Dowd, “reluctant businessman” and literary wit, late of Rathgar. Older Irish Times readers may remember O’Dowd from his many letters to the editor published in the 1970s and 80s. Which reminded me that, as a reluctant civil servant in the late 1980s, I too was in the habit of entering that contest for a period (under – God forgive me – different names). Most of Frank O’Dowd’s short stories, poems and playlets were unpublished in his lifetime. A literary labour of love, for everyone involved, the collection is available from Books Upstairs or via orpenpress.com.

Source: The Irish Times March 11, 2026 02:33 UTC