Even if you’re not familiar with the groundbreaking Panenka move in football, you’ll still understand the message. Panenka was a Czech footballer who saved his nation at the Euros by chipping in a penalty in 1976. He staked his life on one single shot. And it went in. Although, he could have easily botched it…
That’s where Rónán Hession's new novel picks it up. Its main
theme is about past failures which occur in the life of every
human being. This will be discussed tomorrow, Tuesday 29 March, at 6pm, at the Irish Embassy Book Club.
Could there be any failure more visible than someone missing a penalty at a vital football tournament with the whole world watching?
This is what happened to Romanian player, Daniel Timofte against Ireland in 1990 – most probably, we’ve all been in similarly awkward situations at some point in our lives. So how to fix your life when it seems impossible to do so?! inspired by both the Panenka penalty and an interview he read with the remorseful Timofte, Rónán Hession has constructed a compulsive narrative in his new work.
…“It’s about how people carry their pasts and how to find peace when your life is unfixable.”
The author reveals that after his rather bubbly, light first novel, Leonard and Hungry Paul, this is more melancholic and mature. One of the main characters in Panenka is Joseph, who lives in exile in his home town and at the age of 50, attempting to rebuild his family life.
The other is, Esther, a woman who has escaped to the same town, carrying her own disappointments. The two of them find resonance in each other and learn new ways to let love enter into their broken lives. They are both grown adults, with sad, messed-up realities and they hardly believe that they are still worthy of love.
Writer's approach
“There are also different things from a writing perspective: there are shifts in timeframes; the dialogue is ‘clipped’ ie little or no set-up, and conversations are unfinished; there is a wider age span in the characters; and I think the characters draw each other out more.”
Rónán comments that although he as the author feels sympathetic towards his characters, his writing never contains autobiographical elements.
“They each seem to be channelled through me, and I feel deeply for their situations; but they’re not based on my own life…”
All the same, the writer is pleased that his book is being discussed in Budapest. Rónan visited the Hungarian capital in 2001 with
his now wife and they were impressed by the city and have often discussed a return.
He is now curious to know how his book finds echoes in other cultures and how locals here might interpret certain passages:
“…Hungary has such a great football tradition, so I’m interested to know whether the football sections seem authentic to a Hungarian reader.”
Rónán would be also delighted to take part in a literary discussion here in person – providing the pressure was off, of course!
Event information
Panenka by Rónán Hession
Bluemoose Books
Book Club, Irish Embassy (1054 Budapest,.Szabadság tér 7, Bank Center, Granite Tower, Floor VII).
Tuesday 29 March, at 6pm
To join, email: budapestembassyexternal@dfa.ie
