Seaforde author John launches new books

Seaforde author John launches new books

1 July 2015

TALES from a Quiet Man was launched this week — a collection of 33 short stories, dealing with a wide variety of themes from love and hate to murder and nostalgia.

Born in Drumaness, John Orr assumed he would be working in the mill but he went on to have a varied career as, among others, a nurse, a tutor, a lecturer and a counsellor. He now lives in Seaforde.

John has met many interesting characters over such a varied life and career and said it was his son who first encouraged him to translate his love of storytelling into a book.

“He put one of my stories on to a web page,” he said. “I do not know anything about these things but it got 2000 hits and over four or five weeks 12,000 hits.

“At that same time my friend Trevor Robinson, husband of Irish News columnist Anita Robinson pressurised me.”

Describing himself as the average ‘grumpy old man’, he explained: “Over many years I wrote letters to the papers. 

“Then the kids said — write something and put it together.”

Describing what inspired his stories, John said he often simply used his imagination. “We can’t avoid life experiences. It is also just little words and phrases…I am a scribbler.”

John has also self-published a book about his father-in-law Captain Robert Austin Ardill MC MP, entitled ‘Born to Fight, To Lose, To Love, To Win’.

The unionist politician won a Military Cross for his bravery but aside from the military history, John was keen to learn more about the man himself and study the 600 or so “beautiful” letters he wrote to wife Molly.

“What fascinates me is that in the midst of war, during the siege of Malta, you have have an island being bombed out and he was still writing home,” he said.

Reflecting on his own colourful life, John said: “Everybody my age was destined for the mill. There was full employment, you never went to bed with an empty stomach and there was a fantastic community spirit. I had a very happy childhood. However, I suppose I did not want to work in the mill.”

While studying for his O Levels John got the taste for studying that would stay with him all his life.

He began working in the Downshire Hospital, studied for a diploma in nursing and has since done everything from working as a tutor at Magee College to achieving a number of degrees.

John is married to Betty and the couple have six children.

Tales from a Quiet Man is available from Amazon and book stores.