Interview with Kathleen McGurl - Author of 'The Girl With The Emerald Flag'
Novel due out: November 11, 2022
Publisher: HarperCollins Au
See my review of The Girl with the Emerald Flag here.
☘️ 🇮🇪 ☘️
Interview with Kathleen McGurl
📗
Please provide an overview of the story The Girl with the Emerald Flag.
It’s a dual timeline novel, set in 1915-6 and 1998. The historical story tells the tale of the run-up to the Easter Rising in Dublin, 1916 and of the tumultuous events of that week, when young Gráinne is caught up in the midst of the rebellion. The 1998 story follows Gráinne’s great-granddaughter who’s a student and likes to think of herself as a bit of a rebel, but she’s got some growing up to do. Learning about her great-grandmother’s story for a university project provides her with the opportunity to do just that.
The cover of your book is gorgeous. The setting, of course, is Ireland. The topic is the Easter Rising of 1916. Why did you decide to tell this part of Irish history?
My husband is Irish, and after I wrote The Forgotten Secret which concerns the Irish war of independence, he said to me, ‘you know you’ll have to write a 1916 Rising novel at some point, don’t you?’ I resisted for a long time, and then one day he played me the song Grace, and that provided the inspiration to write this one.
Was it difficult to narrow down all the facts that surrounded the 1916 Easter Rising against British Rule? What challenges did you face in delivering this part of the story?
Yes, it was difficult, and my first draft was too history-heavy. Both my beta-reader son and editor asked me to take out some of the detail and focus more on my main characters. I hope I got the balance right in the end!
Historical accuracy is paramount in a novel such as this. To capture atmosphere or locations of significance in the Rising, did it involve any excursions to Ireland? And were there any specific books, movies or tv series that helped in your research?
Being married for 30 years to an Irishman helped! I have been to Ireland many times, and have visited all the main sites in Dublin associated with the Rising. So I didn’t make any special trips to Ireland for this novel, although we were last there in summer 2021 just before I began writing this one. We have a lot of books on Irish history at home, and I read the sections relating to the 1916 Rising in all of them. A biography of the Countess Markiewicz was particularly helpful. There have been plenty of TV series made about the events of the week and I have seen some over the years, but didn’t watch any especially for this novel. It was one where the research has been done over decades prior to writing, I suppose!
Women of the past have often been left out of major events and denied leadership roles but your story shows how even back in 1916 women were making waves. Can you share a bit about that and on James Connolly and his role in gender inclusivity?
Yes, that struck me too, that James Connolly insisted that the Irish Proclamation of Independence should refer to both Irishmen and Irishwomen. He was a good friend of the Countess Markiewicz, and she had always been cross that not all the Irish republican groups allowed women in. Connolly was ahead of his time in this. He was a true socialist, fighting for equal rights for everyone regardless of their gender or position in society.
Can you tell us how the real woman Countess Markiewicz is utilised in your story? What were her greatest achievements and her part in the Cumann na mBan (the League of Women/Women’s Council)?
The Cumann na mBan played an essential role in the Rising, both running messages and providing medical aid as necessary. The Countess was a senior figure in this organisation, and she was involved in the fighting during Easter week as well. It was only her gender that prevented her being executed along with other rebels. Prior to the Rising, she’d set up an organisation for boys called the Fianna Éireann, a kind of militant boy scouts movement, and they were involved with gun running along with camping and hiking. Basically she was training up the generation of young men who then later on fought in the War of Independence. I think she’s a remarkable figure in Irish history. She went on to become the first female MP in the UK, and after independence she sat in the Irish Dáil (parliament) and was the first female minister.
There are two love interests for Nicky Waters in the 1998 timeline. Please give three words each to describe the characters of Seb and Conor.
Ooh, interesting question! Let me think...
Conor is steady, principled and downright lovely.
Seb is self-centred, entitled and horrifically immature.
Gráinne is in both timelines. First as a young rebel woman on the Rising scene and later we see her as a 100 year old great grandmother. What literary means did you use to bring her story from the past into the present?
It was a bit of a juggling act to decide whether to have old Gráinne tell events or show young Gráinne acting them out. In each case I needed to decide which timeline would be most impactful. Whether to see the event as it unfolded, or tell it using the hindsight of eighty years and the knowledge of subsequent events. Again, it’s all a bit of a balancing act!
What was the greatest shocking fact you learned about the Easter Rising during your research for The Girl with the Emerald Flag?
Although I knew much of the detail before I wrote this book, it was the story of Grace and Joseph Plunkett that affected me the most. I can’t say too much about this or it’d be a spoiler for readers who aren’t already familiar with their tragic tale.
How did you celebrate the completion of your novel The Girl with the Emerald Flag? Did you participate in any fun activities or treat yourself with a special gift?
Ha! Not really. Although I do always open a bottle of wine at key points during the writing of a novel – when I’ve completed the first draft, and when my editor signs it off as ready to go to the final copy-editing stages.
What book did you read this year that surprised you and that you would recommend?
My best read of the year (so far!) was Jenny Ashcroft’s latest, The Echoes of Love. It’s a world war two love story, set on the island of Crete. I was blown away by this beautiful book and would recommend it to everyone who likes historical stories in unusual settings.
Are you working on any new projects and if so, can you offer a brief teaser?
Oh yes, I always have a novel on the go! I don’t want to say too much about the current one, but it’s a return to the mid-Atlantic in 1912 (and there’s a massive hint!) The contemporary story is set in England and Italy and there’s a theme of news vs fake news running throughout the novel.
Thanks so much for having me on your blog once more, Cindy! As always, it’s much appreciated.
Thanks, Kathleen for being my guest! Readers pick up a copy of The Girl with the Emerald Flag along with others she has written (see pics below). You’ll love them all! Also, visit Kathleen’s website for more information on her books.
📚
