Aiteach Zine #6
Accessible version beneath the issuu slides
Blessed Samhain, Halloween Edition
Also ghost stories, parenting, bi, spirituality, and so much more!
Wexford Pride committee report inside.
Contributors: Veronica Victor (she/her), John Cunningham-Ryan (he/him), Vic Kelly-Victor (they/them), CC Darlington (they/them), Andrei Boyd (he/him), Dorn Simon (she/her), Thomas Fitzgerald (he/him), Declan Flynn (he/him).
CONTENTS
Report - Vic Kelly-Victor
Art - Veronica Victor
Ghosts - Dorn Simon
Bi - Dorn Simon
Spirituality - Andrei Boyd
Parenting - CC Darlington
Unknown - Declan Flynn
Poetry - Thomas Fitzpatrick
Entertainment - John Cunningham-Ryan
Position listing
Events
Proudly LGBT+
Please send all inquiries to Aiteach.wexford.pride@gmail.com
COMMITTEE REPORT
VIC KELLY-VICTOR
For the Wexford Pride Committee, September is about two things: planning our final three big events of the year; and making sure we have the finances to continue working for our community in 2024.
The first event is a Hallowe'en get-together, which this year will be a visit to Ballycross Farm on October 29. We're getting a group together to the pumpkin patch and then have a pumpkin-carving party. Details to come soon — as always, watch our social media channels for the exact times, carpool information, etc. or contact us at wexfordpride@gmail.com for that information.
In November, we have our AGM, which we're hoping to once again hold at Clayton Whites Hotel in Wexford town. The AGM is your opportunity to see what the Committee has done for the LGBTQIA+ community in 2023, review Wexford Pride's finances, and vote for the 2024 Committee. An announcement about the date, time, and election details for the AGM is coming soon. We're waiting for confirmation on the room.
On the subject of the AGM: if you want to become part of the Wexford Pride Committee, get in touch at wexfordpride@gmail.com. You could go up for election either in one of the named roles (Treasurer, Secretary, Community Liaison, Public Relations Officer) or as one of the additional seats (constitutionally, we can have up to three more members of the committee without named roles).
On Sunday, December 10, we will have our Winter Market at St. Joseph's Community Centre in Wexford Town. We're encouraging all LGBTQIA+ crafters and artists to consider having a stall at this event. Get in touch with Veronica at wexfordpride@gmail.com if you're interested. Queer Christmas Shopping! What could be better?
In September, we also added three new monthly events to our calendar: a Board Game Night at Mountain Gremlin Games in Castlebridge; an Art Club at Mountain Gremlin Games in Castlebridge; and an online Ace/Aro Peer Support Group that is open to anyone on the Ace spectrum wherever they are in Ireland. We're proud to offer these three new ways to get together on top of the existing bi-weekly in-person Peer Support Group at the IFA Centre in Enniscorthy, the monthly online Book Club, and the bi-weekly meeting Tea on the Quay.
Speaking of Tea on the Quay: NEW LOCATION! From now on, it will be at The Crown rather than The Trough. The Crown is allowing us to book a table so never again will we have to put up with the attitude from the baristas at The Trough about how much space we're taking up. We deserve to take up space!
As autumn progresses into winter, remember that we can be there for each other. Your committee members are available at wexfordpride@gmail.com and in the WhatsApp group chat. Reach out if you need a friendly word or a helping hand.
Your Committee is John Cunningham-Ryan (he/him, Secretary), Veronica Victor (she/her, Community Liaison), Rían Browne (he/him, Public Relations Officer, and me, Vic Kelly-Victor (they/them, Treasurer).
- Vic Kelly-Victor
SHE HAD BABY BLONDE HAIR
DORN SIMON
The night was still, with an eerie mist lifting off the cool ground. Jezebel decided an evening walk was in order, to clear away the cobwebs of her mind; having had a rough time of it, she was adamant about not letting the dark night of the soul overcome her.
The air was crisp this October Eve, a dewiness was felt upon her face as she ambled through the misty streets.
A murmuration of starlings above created shadowy art in the sky as if a paintbrush were painting with the sky as the canvas, Jezebel paused to watch how the shapes shifted and changed in flight.
The chattering of the birds was most audible, it was like a large gathering dancing and vocalising together.
Jezebel sighed a joyous sigh, “Mother Nature, you cleanse my soul with the simplest of acts,” she said out loud.
Few people were out, the streets almost barren in fact, Jezebel didn’t mind, she preferred the solitude.
Jezebel is of the nature to be sociable when she can, whereupon she can be rather extrovert, yet, most of her time is spent introverted -she can get lost in her own world at the press of a button, become consumed with her passion projects of which are many and diverse, though, time escapes her no end… “I lose time” she is often heard saying, shrugging her shoulders.
A streetlamp flickers ahead, snapping Jezebel out of her thoughts. She had not realised how far she had walked, needing to orientate herself as to where she was. She is on Ambrose Avenue, she recalls it due to it starting as a rather small lane, which widens as you travel along it, until here, where she stands, it becomes a wide angled bend, with posh Georgian houses lining it into an arc on the way to Shady Acres cemetery.
Jezebel often daydreamed of living in one of these houses, thinking back to the era when frilly shirts were worn by men, with the most adorned long jackets, and pants like jodhpurs, and the ladies were seen with waists as tightly bound in otherwise fancy flowing voluptuous gowns.
Jezebel stood a moment, taking in her surroundings, looking up at the window of one of the houses, she spies a young girl maybe 8 years old soulfully looking out, she had baby blonde hair, you know that truly blonde white, almost a glistening shine off it.
Her eyes were so big Jezebel could see them clearly from the roadside, they seemed glazed, but she paid no mind, more fascinated at how very glowy her blonde hair was.
The girl’s gaze landed on Jezebel, who felt a smile wash over her mouth in response to being seen, but the girl simply stared through her.
Jezebel thought it best to move along so as to not frighten the girl, and gently she stepped back into a walking rhythm away from the houses, back into the darkening lane towards the cemetery.
Rustling leaves surrounded her now, with the hedgerow and trees losing their umber and ochre-coloured coats and pathing the way deeper and deeper, the street becoming slippy at times as she stepped on sodden moulding autumn debris. The night was becoming darker, yet somehow Jezebel continued, walking into the unknown, streetlamps scarcer, sounds quieter, smells stronger, as the earthiness of the ground and the wetness of the mist, filled her nostrils.
The arched gate of the cemetery was upon her now, with no signs of Jezebel stopping, she was in a world of her own as she sauntered through the large galvanised iron arc sculpted with SHADY ACRES CEMETERY above her head. The odour of rot becoming stronger, the pungent odour of a newly filled grave, still Jezebel continued forward, wistlessly.
The cemetery itself was quite ancient in parts, with the newer graves closest to the entrance, some graves go back centuries, the more adorned ones, built-up mausoleums, carved figures, gargoyles and embellished notices of those to be found buried there -it spoke of rich and renowned burials, whereas the modern graves were simple at best with a mere gravestone in place.
Critters could be heard rummaging and nestling in the dark, and oddly there was the occasional throaty “kraa” call of a raven -this brought Jezebel out of her trance, “it's a bit late for raven calls, surely you should be roosted?” She asked to herself yet out loud.
She felt a breeze as if someone rushing past her, she spun to see if anyone was there, but the night remained still, which suddenly gave Jezebel a creepy shiver down her spine, as she only now registered where she was standing… “How on earth did I walk into a cemetery at night!” She exclaimed, shaking her head and realising her hands trembled, she started to rub them as if to calm herself down.
“Jezebel you stupid broad, there is nothing to fear from the dead, it’s the living you have to worry about!” She laughed out loud.
A particular grave caught her eye, as a light shone, as if someone directing a sharp laser beam at her face on purpose.
The grave was in the old part, a huge angelic statue topped the plinth of the gravestone which as Jezebel walked towards it she could see clearer and clearer in sight.
That light though? Jezebel thought to herself, it is so powerful, so alluring.
“STOP” a voice cried out, startling Jezebel, who froze stopping dead in her tracks. Waiting, Jezebel did not move an iota, she simply waited, for what she did not know, but the voice told her to stop.
Out of nowhere, she saw a shape before her in the darkness, it moved, no, drifted her way, becoming more visible as it neared.
It was, a girl, almost floating as her feet did not seem to touch the ground at all…Jezebel recognised her, it wasn’t just a girl, it was THE girl, the girl in the window!
Jezebel gasped, her head spinning, words flew through her mind, “How?” “What is she doing here at night?” “It’s not safe here for a little girl,” She began to speak aloud, “What are you?”
The girl with the baby blonde hair gestured to her side, she did not utter a word. Jezebel's eyes followed where the girl was directing her, more darkness with the slight glint of mica shining off the stone of the graves to her side.
The girl turned around, her back now facing Jezebel and she floated forward in the direction she wished Jezebel to go; Jezebel followed warily, and slowly behind her. Walking past many of the rows of graves, and statue headstones, farther into the older section of the cemetery.
Jezebel saw the graceful figure stop beside a family mausoleum and as if by magic vanish out of sight.
Curiosity engulfed her as she headed towards the stone structure, unable to see clearly she stumbled over some stones, lifting herself up she saw the door, the large crest, with an old-fashioned iron lever to open the door.
The crest appeared familiar, Jezebel felt she had seen this before, a Lions head, with a gaping mouth, the mane engorged with brass-coloured metal.
She had to touch it, it was cold, hard, but she was suddenly taken aback as if jolted from a force -a flashback began in her mind’s eye, a moving picture display of a time gone by, Jezebel's face was riddled in confusion, the imagery too real to be random, the little girl entered the story of her mind, as did a younger baby boy, and a grandmother figure, all with horrifying looks on their faces…Jezebel felt herself embedded with the imagery, feeling the scene as her mind played the movie in her head, she moved with it, the tale making her live it.
A man, attired in regency fashion, stark-faced, and embellished in redness, that of red mist rage now stood before her in the scene, she found herself clasping tightly to two children, the young boy and the little girl, both with baby blonde hair, the man is aggressively lunging forward -and ‘snap’ the scene cuts off.
Jezebel screamed, her hands wrapped around her head, and she stood shaken in the cemetery, she was startled by the wisp of a girl now beside her, the girl speaks, “Do you remember Mummy?”
Jezebel is fraught with overwhelm, she is trying to grasp what is happening, how, and why; when her face shifts it shows the sign of recognition.
The girl takes Jezebel’s hand, moves it towards the mausoleum door, and pushes it to the lever, they open the door together and slowly walk through.
-Dorn Simon
THE TERROR OF THE STRAIGHT QUESTIONS
DORN SIMON
There are numerous questions those identifying as Bisexual receive, and some are downright derogatory in nature or asked with a grimace and bad taste in their mouths, yet still they ask.
The common ones are;
So you do threesomes? Are all Bi people Polyamorous? Are bisexual people more promiscuous than other people? Are Bi people equally attracted to both men and women? Can you tell a person is bisexual just by looking at them? Are all Bi people swingers? Doesn’t Bi mean you want to have your cake and eat it too? Is Bisexuality a choice? Is Bisexuality all about having sex?
Some of these are simply annoying, whilst others are ingrained with a disdainful, or hopeful air.
The other side of it is that, Yes, some Bisexuals may partake in Polyamory, or Threesomes, and be Swingers, but it is not a pre-requisite of Bisexuality as a whole.
Being sexually attracted to more than one sex can also lead to an orientation of Pansexuality, as it is not merely Female presenting or Male presenting attraction to both; it can be that you are attracted to Trans, Non-Binary and so on.
So, let me attempt to address these questions, albeit from my own perspective and life experience of being Bi.
So you doThreesomes?Umm no, and having threesomes has nothing to do whatsoever with being Bi...anyone who desires to have a threesome will find a way to have a threesome, even if (and likely more often) you are straight.
Are all Bi people Polyamorous? Honestly, there could be zero Bisexuals who partake in Polyamory, as much as there could be some who do, again, Polyamory has nothing to do with Bisexuality, it is more of a “choice” unlike that of Bisexuality.
Are bisexual people more promiscuous than other people? Not necessarily; it depends on the nature of the person, the animal within, the addictions that may be underlying, or even trauma that produces promiscuity, not the sexual orientation.
Are Bi people equally attracted to both men and women? This is the first logical and obvious curious question we have here, it can be equally hard to answer for some, depending on their experiences or attraction/attachment styles. Personally, I would say it is not 50/50, it would lay more on a 60%
Female vs 40% Male attraction, although my attachment style steers me towards more Males and heteronormative relations for some reason, (maybe that is where I go wrong LOL).
Can you tell a person is bisexual just by looking at them? Umm...immediate reaction, Der...No! However, I do tend to have a Gay Radar myself, although it never accurately applies to Bisexuals! So, No, you cannot, unless they are wearing a neon sign or an ‘I am Bi’ T-shirt.
Are all Bi people swingers? See the answer to question 2.
Doesn’t Bi mean you want to have your cake and eat it too? Perhaps, at times, in one’s youth, it could be played this way, but it is not a true account of Bisexuality by any means.
I recall in 1981 I believe, a Smash Hits article or interview with Gary Numan, who had just found fame as a solo artist; androgynous presenting male with make-up and sub human, robotic approach to his music and image - the article was as we discovered decades later, made up trash, but what stuck in my impressionable mind as a young Bi, was the line “Yes, I am Bisexual as there are twice as many people to sleep with,” this of course was not said by Numan at all, nor since has there been any record of him presenting as bisexual, nor was he ever extrovert enough pre-aspergers diagnosis, to actually live such a wild sexual life...his neurodiversity had him shut off inside feeling ‘alien’ hence his image and music reflecting this.
Is Bisexuality a choice? Not really,although a very minute percentage may have chosen to experiment with Bisexuality or same sex play. I believe I was born Bi, but then again I believe the animal kingdom as a whole is born Bi, and that human societal conditioning and conformity is what makes us believe we are to be one way or another, segregating the nature within, but that is a Bi stating this; if I were Gay, or Lesbian maybe it would have always been Men or Women with a clearly defined line.
Is Bisexuality all about having sex? Let me answer this with another question...Is being Straight all about having sex? Sex is an act of desire and part of life (unless you are Asexual, or choose to be celibate et cetera) and therefore all orientations are as sexually active as they choose to be.
What questions have been presented to you? What questions did you ask yourself whilst processing your orientation? As always, feel free to reach out in full confidentiality.
Bye from one Bi to the others,
- Dorn Simon
THE CHOSEN ONES
ANDREI BOYD
There is a lot of talk in the spiritual community about being a “Chosen One”. The idea that some souls have incarnated in this lifetime to save humanity from its impending demise. This Saviour mentality is ripe in many, if not all, spiritual ideologies and is one that many spiritualist “newbies” deal with as they embark on their path of healing.
It’s something we often see when a person undergoes change through a new belief system. The need to save everybody else from themselves. I certainly threw facts and figures at the people around me once I became a vegan only to begin eating meat again two years later. I absolutely preached my health and fitness beliefs onto others when I began fasting and lifting weights. And, as so many do, I separated people into low vibrational energies and high vibrational energies. I walked around with a halo over my head and metaphorical flyers to give to anyone that needed enlightening.
You see, I had all of the answers. I knew that if people would just adhere to the teachings that helped me they would find themselves able to heal the things that held them back in their own lives.
I look back in horror as I remember that period of my journey. Now the more I know the more I realise how little I know. How little WE know. There are some deeply powerful and profound practices that trigger phenomenal healing and connection to the self. In my experience the existence of spirit and an all encompassing creator is undeniable. But that’s me. And each day I set the intention to see that power in myself. And as my ability to connect to myself and the greater Spirit develops I can offer those gifts to others in need through psychic readings, healings and activations. This is my highest joy.
We must remember that the spark of Source lives in every person, place and thing. No one, no matter how dark or destructive, is separate from that fact. Whether you believe in Spirit or not, understand that everyone is a person living with their own pain. We must acknowledge the many privileges that often determine the degree to which a person can thrive in our world. This, in my opinion, is fundamental to letting go of the judgment we hold for ourselves and others, spiritual or not.
And so, we must deny the concept that some are chosen or enlightened and others are not. No matter what your belief system, no matter what vyour purpose. We are all ONE. We dance with the light and the darkness each day. Neither is separate from the other. The light you see in another is the the light that exist within you. Just as the darkness you see in another is a part of you also. We are all CHOSEN. We are all NOT. We are EVERYTHING and we are NOTHING.
– Andrei Boyd
TOP 10 HORRORS OF PARENTING
CC DARLINGTON
Becoming a parent is often described as one of life's most rewarding experiences. Anyone who is a parent, though, will know that it’s a journey filled with love, laughter and more than a few moments of questioning your own sanity. In the Halloween spirit, let’s shine a spooky lantern on the less glamorous side of this incredible journey with my own personal
TOP 10 HORRORS OF PARENTING:
The Sleepless Nights from Hell
The first horror on this list is a rite of passage for all but a few extremely lucky parents: sleep deprivation. Those early months (more like years…) of parenthood often feel like a never-ending sleepover in a haunted house, where every creak of the floorboards, or whimper from the cot, sends adrenaline surging through your body. It’s been a year and a half now, and my son, Móg’s, whimpers still shock me bolt-upright at least once EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT!
The Zombie Apocalypse: Parenting on Autopilot
As if the sleepless nights weren’t hellish enough, the struggle to function on chronic lack of sleep can be nothing short of terrifying. Walking around my home in a state of autopilot, like some sleep deprived zombie, wondering whether I’m currently awake or asleep, leaves our house feeling like a scene from Night of the Living Dead.
The Mysterious Messes
As a parent, I’ve found myself pretty quickly becoming some sort of sniff detective - pressing my nose against clothes, furniture and walls, trying to decipher cryptic stains and unidentifiable substances. Is that porridge or snot? Blood or beetroot? Wee or apple juice? Does it even make any difference? My pre-baby ideals of separating laundry based on colour and fabric have long been scattered to the wind. Boil everything in our witch’s cauldron of a washing machine, that at least gives us 5 minutes of peace as watching its spin cycle brainwashes Móg into a stupor.
The Public Meltdown
I wish I could say this section was about my son, but my parenting burnout meltdowns are definitely more of a regular occurrence than Móg’s temper tantrums. Sure, our angelic little cherub does, at times, transform into a shrieking banshee when I won’t let him run out onto the road to chase a tractor - but it’s me who practises a bit of scream therapy driving alone in the car, pretending bewildered onlookers aren’t casting judgmental glances.
The Phantom Menace: Missing Toys and Vanishing Socks
As if all that wasn’t enough for my sleep deprived brain to worry about, I spend much of my days deciphering the inexplicable disappearances that plague our family home. One moment, Móg's favourite toy is in his hand; the next, it vanishes into thin air (and, of course, one blue train cannot be substituted for another - only Thomas will do!). Socks, too, seem to have a supernatural ability to vanish in the laundry, leaving you with a drawer of mismatched horrors.
The Time Warp: Days Drag, Years Fly
The phenomenon known as "parental time warp" is a true terror. Days blur together, and yet somehow, years pass in the blink of an eye. It's a disorienting experience that often leaves me questioning both my own sanity and where all the time has gone.
The Boogeyman: Parental Guilt
Truly, this horror deserves a pedestal all of its own. Parental guilt, shame and self-doubt are a relentless spectre, lurking around every corner. They haunt you when you lie awake at night wondering whether you could have prevented that morning’s scuffed knee. They loom over you as you press play on a third episode of Thomas the Tank Engine. They hover around you as you dream of a full night sleep, alone in a hotel room bed. This Boogeyman is quiet, creeping and something even the bravest of parents often face.
Worry Demons
Worry demons are a special brand of tormentor that reassure you that your child is always sicker than they are. Late-night check-ins on a feverish child often morph into scenes from a horror movie. Pacing the floor, with milky vomit down your shoulder, wondering if you’ll all make it through to see another day (you will!)
Nappy Nightmares
One of the most stomach-turning moments in parenting can be encapsulated in three simple words: nappy changing time. It's a task that can transform even the most composed parents into apprehensive souls, bracing for the unspeakable horrors that may await; from odours so potent they could awaken the dead, to messes so explosive they require an entire clean-up team. And, somehow, 1.5 years down the line, I still make the mistake of checking for a dirty nappy with my nose!
The Great Toy Invasion
In the realm of parenting, there exists a phenomenon that rivals even the spookiest haunted houses: The Great Toy Invasion. It's a horror story that unfolds in living rooms, bedrooms and even bathrooms, where toys seem to multiply like mischievous Gremlins. Navigating this toy-infested landscape becomes a high-stakes mission, looking out for any signs of impending toy-based catastrophe. One wrong move, and you risk a Lego-induced foot injury or a teddy bear avalanche.
So what kind of a horror movie is parenting akin to? It’s certainly got its moments of gore, with its nappy nightmares and suspicious stains. Zombie horror? Eh, hello, have you seen me?
Psychological horror? Ummm, yes!
Survival horror? Every day!
But mostly, this parenting show is like a ridiculous, low budget comedy horror disaster. A movie where the characters and scenarios are so absurd, so outrageous that all you can do is laugh.
So, to all the brave parents out there, may you face these horrors with courage, community and a little smile, when you can!
- CC Darlington
SPOOKY ENCOUNTERS
DECLAN FLYNN
Well for this Halloween special, we step away from the world of fitness and into the world of the unusual.
I've always been interested in all things supernatural and spooky. From hearing my name being called out in a house when I was the only one on a 15 acre property in America by a deceased family member and for it to be confirmed by my sister in Dublin, having a dream at the very same time of the same family member coming to her to say she had just being with me, to experiences sitting in full on séances and not the type you see in Hollywood films. These are proper ones where we witnessed some out of this world phenomenon like levitation of heavy tables without anyone touching them!
It's always a topic that can stimulate conversations and debate, if you believe in this or not.
Recently my little niece who's only just turned 1, stunned us by looking away from us, staring at another part of the room and started saying Gra Gra, this is what her mother, my sister used to call our grandad when she was the same age. Grandad Joe died in 1992, my sister had never used the term Gra Gra around my niece, how could she know this. The second time she did it she was looking away from everyone, she was showing teddy bear too someone not physically present.
What made us even more shocked is when she out of the blue another time after she said Gra Gra, she said Una, that was our nanny, Joe's wife, again that name was never used around her!
How could she know these aspects?
I've come across this so many times of kids talking to and about past family members that they have never been physically in contact with, that have passed even before their birth. There are many videos on TikTok, YouTube of these interactions too.
There're so many things we don't fully understand, but it's this time of year that bring our minds to those beyond the veil of life and the unknown.
It's easy to be dismissive of it all, but if you do spend time exploring you may find answers that you need or you may find more questions to keep you seeking for more truths.
Whatever you believe now, it's for certain we will all eventually know in time to come. So, for now, try opening your mind to things out of the ordinary as you never know what you may discover!
- Declan Flynn
POETRY
THOMAS FITZPATRICK
Old Ripper
The Abbess holding fast to key's to lock them in,
Smudges adorn the faces on men who call on,
Those academicians spread wild across duck feather,
Now silent as large paper crosses hands for a con.
A bailed-man lurks in the corner for lips to move,
Crafty devil one old spinster lied to another,
Broganeer's fill the air that sound never soothing,
Masks place havoc with reason and time further.
Behind the Corinth sleeps many a conveyancer,
Yes we too have dabbled and condiddled lots,
A Cotswold lion keeps Mary from the cold at night,
Never doubt the payments handed in the pots.
Groggified and dancing while in the gun,
Times were different then with the Gospel shop,
Never mind old ripper is long since dead,
Or so we believe when word is royal on the top
- Thomas Fitzpatrick
Conjure.
All hallows breath nears necks at last,
Her time of year beckons close from past,
A torrid word makes men fall free,
The twisted branch now on a spree,
Feeling tired one must push through,
For eyes of blood are now upon you,
The darkness dawns above come down,
Splitting roots to wake soon the crown,
Petals swim in brews of apple stars,
One more prick to draw red in scars,
Be quite now imps more spills innate,
Flash in bowls once rust and ingrate,
Split thy fingers and tore the sky,
Bind her knees above supple thigh,
Cast our spirit to land in hill folk,
Whisper rhyme never loud he spoke,
Goodnight for now as ghosts unchained,
A smile tells truth now truly unstained.
- Thomas Fitzpatrick
Lotus Hall
Wooden tables are stable for this game,
Deal the cards to all even you my darling girl,
A stranger I may be to this group yet trust me,
Gather now for stories to unveil in the whirl.
Two kings and three sixes held close to my chest,
No cheats or telling from crimson veins now look,
Dealers’ choice they say how people never learn,
A mere one master he now comes from that book.
Six drops to the ground lit by candles and dirt,
Timid daughter in good manners scrounges at paper,
One look is all that it takes to lighten her little head,
A scream heard in Wexford no light now on taper.
Loftus hall ever known for my visit that night
All one want is company to take in and to revel,
The space I shot through has never been fixed,
For time tells tales of me and myth is the devil.
- Thomas Fitzpatrick
The Chess Game.
"Ah, my old friend, it comes to the last piece again.” the room, dark as always felt bare as in time everything did. The hole of sanction leaps forth from time and space to guide the hands that move wooden figures around the chess board. They stare at each other, a father searching for a glimpse of love in his son's eyes. There is nothing, nothing but the pit that housed his fear and contempt, all he held dear was gone, lost forever in a time confused by the very ones he created. This dear sweet boy, deformed by the minds and thoughts of those that kept him alive, for no reason but to haunt them.
Why , why must I fight for this one piece? Of all things I can grant you, my riches are known only to the powerful and all could be yours and yet you dwell here and want the one thing I can never give you. You yourself have a home, a land, and one I might add that you use as a prison for those willing to enter, why?”
This child, defiant as always remained silent and merely looked into the eyes of his maker. One final piece, the last piece that always ended their game. A tiny orb of blue, nothing, full of wonder but tiny to ones such as these. He wanted it for his own, this ungrateful son, always looking for ways to outsmart his father, to trick the mind that honours truth above all else.
"Tell me, tell me now, you never move those lips to utter words to me, for once, use that wicked tongue of yours!"
He moved, calling another draw, he looked at his father and spoke softly, "Yes, my dear maker, you can grant me everything I desire except the one thing I want and need, what is it they call you again, father, oh yes, the earth calls you God".
"That is ones doing Lucifer, you turned their prayers to me and I will answer them, go back until we play again, and go back to hell"
- Thomas Fitzpatrick
STEPHEN KING
JOHN CUNNINGHAM-RYAN
You can't have a Halloween edition of our 'zine without mentioning the king of horror: the one and only Stephen King.
Long before we ever heard of pumpkin spice lattes, Stephen King published his first book, Carrie (after throwing it in the bin and 30 rejections). That was all the way back on April 5, 1974, two whole years before I was born! The book has had three different movie adaptations, one with a sequel, and even a stage musical! For me, the original, directed by Brian de Palma in 1976, is a horror classic. That scene when Carrie, played by Sissy Spacek, finally snaps is awesome and it has been copied and parodied, but never equalled. Carrie tells us the story of a girl with latent special abilities. Her journey into adolescence awakens the full potential of her powers, mainly in the form of telekinesis. She is a shy, bookish girl burdened with a domineering religious mother, and the opposite of popular at school. When the school bullies go too far... well, hold onto your prom dress.
That was the start of Stephen King's career. Since then, he has published 65 novels, 200 short stories (with 11 published collections), 5 non-fiction books, 19 screenplays, and around 20 other pieces. There are nearly 50 movies and TV series based on his work. Whatever your opinion of him, you've got to acknowledge his longevity.
For me, what King does best is taking a "what if?" scenario and allowing the story to take its course. The more realistic the "what if?", the more powerful the story.
What if your child was killed in a road tragedy? What would you do to get them back? Based on a near miss his child had on the road, King gave us Pet Semetary.
What if a group of kids were out for the day just having fun and came across a dead body? How would that affect them? Based on something that happened King as a child, we got The Body and its movie adaptation Stand by Me.
What if a manufactured disease got out of the lab and killed 99.999% of the population? Based on a 60-minute documentary on chemical warfare that he'd seen, King gave us the 1,400-page tome The Stand, which led to two TV series (1994 and 2020). The Stand rocketed to the number one best-selling slot at the start of the COVID-19 Lockdowns with King famously tweeting about it.
What would a mother do if she found out her husband was abusing their daughter? Although it's not based on a real-life incident in King's life, it's an all-too-common story. In King's take, this Mama Bear will go to any lengths to protect her daughter, including murder. When you read the book and imagine a movie adaptation there is only one actress to pull off this role: the one and only... You're my number one fan... Kathy Bates.
Speaking of Misery. Published in 1987 and adapted for the screen in 1990, Misery cemented both Stephen King and Kathy Bates as stars. Ironically, King hinself had a horrific car accident after the movie's release. His home nurse's contract specified that she was never to say "I'm your number one fan" — such was the memorable job that Kathy Bates did.
Nevermind The Shining, Misery is one of the most unforgetable movies of all time. Remember the hobbling!
You cannot talk about King without mentioning that there have been so many unsuccessful movie adaptations. Why so many? Well, Stephen King famously sells the rights to some of his work for $1 — that probably accounts for some of them. For him, everytime a movie adaptation comes out, book sales increase, even when it's a remake. But people sometimes enjoy a movie without realising it's something from the warped mind of Stephen King: The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Stand By Me, Gerald's Game and Apt Pupil, for example.
With career spanning nearly 50 years, it's to be expected that some of his work hasn't aged well. However, he isn't an author that rests on a trending topic or trope to be lazy or sensational. For example, published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, 1977's Rage dealt with a child who experiences a violent incident with a teacher. Then, he goes out and gets a gun, and during a four-hour ordeal, terrorises students and shoots a couple of teachers. This book was later used as a defence in court case on actual school shootings. In response, King withdrew the book and will not allow further publication of it. In 2013, he published a non-fiction anti-firearms piece titled Guns.
In all those books I've mentioned, there is a lack of LGBTQIA+ stories, with the exception of his second-longest book. Published in 1986, IT proved popular enough for two successful movie adaptations, both two-part movies. IT is definetly responsible for a huge increase in coulrophobia (the fear of clowns). But it also contained three important queer moments.
Chapter 2 opens with the horrific murder of a gay character: beaten and thrown over a bridge in a hate crime, he is finished off by Pennywise, the villain of IT. As chapter 2 progresses, we learn that one of the lead characters, Richie, is gay and is in love with his best friend Eddie, who he never tells. Richie's biggest fear is that the world finds out. There is a deeply touching moment at the end where he acknowledges his love.
These stories reflect realities for our community. The murder in the book is based on the real-life murder of 23-year old Charlie Howard in Bangor, Maine, in 1984. Its inclusion isn't gratuitous: it's done to show the evil embedded in the town of Derry but also stands as a commentary on the real life of LGBTQIA+ people in America. King has white, cis male privlidge, but was one of the few people writing about this 40 years ago.
Richie's story and the bullies' scene are also all too familiar. Pennywise feeds on fear: Richie's biggest fear is being outed. People mistake IT as a story of a psychotic clown but this is only one manifistation: the real story is about fear. Each person in the story has a deep fear and Pennywise (actually IT) feeds on and magnifies this fear. The story is a commentary on American life and how those feeding fear ruin everything: including those who create fear around LGBTQIA+ issues.
Hopefully, I've tempted you into picking up something from Stephen King. I wouldn't start with the longest books, The Stand or IT though. Try a short story like The Sun Dog, a novella like The Library Policeman or a novel like Dolores Claiborne. My first read was Needful Things.
One of his most recent books,The Institute, has become a fave of mine. It's set in the Firestarter narrative. If you like crime and thrillers give Billy Summers a go. Lots of libraries have Stephen King collections as do bookstores, including second-hand ones like Wexford and Gorey's Red Books.
Happy Hunting!
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