A book visualising the writing of John McGahern is now published

Paul Butler’s book on McGahern, A Deep Well of Want: Visualising the World of John McGahern, with a Preface by Eamonn Wall, is now available in the Reimagining Ireland series.

John McGaher, an Irish writer and novelist, is regarded as one of the most important writers of the latter half of the twentieth century, with relevant works such as The Barracks, The Dark and Amongst Women. 

‘The Deep Well of Want’ of the title is an expression that captures the pain and hurt at the core of the life journey of both writer and photographer. Paul’s exquisite photos allow us a special entry into ‘McGahern Land’, whose landscape and people nurtured the writer’s creative inspiration. 

This indispensable study will deepen McGahern readers’ understanding of what lies at the core of his artistic quest. This book represents a unique visualisation of the world of Irish writer John McGahern through his words and the imagery of artist Paul Butler. Traumatic events in the lives of both Mc-Gahern and Butler shaped their paths, creating a want to write in McGahern and a want to create imagery in Butler. 

Butler explores the difficult and complex childhood that the two shared, and through a series of beautiful images that he himself has created in McGahern’s own part of Ireland, he draws parallels between them and, as Eamonn Wall says in his Preface, produces a rich and life-affirming appreciation of literature, art and imagery.

Paul Butler is a documentary photographer who lives with his family in Farnocht, County Leitrim. Documenting the ordinary and exploring the northwest of Ireland is his passion and he has held various photographic exhibitions and presented papers, particularly around the theme.

A former graduate of Technical Photography, he also holds a Master of Arts by Research out of which this publication has emerged. Paul works as part of web services for The Technological University of Dublin.