Derry writer set to unwrap his special one-off ‘Christmas Present’

A new limited-edition novelette from Derry writer Garbhan Downey will hit the shelves in Derry bookshops next week.

The Christmas Present, part inspired by the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life, is being published by Guildhall Press in conjunction with Creggan Enterprises.

A run of just 250 of the books, all hand signed by the author, will be made available on Tuesday next.

More than 100 copies have already been pre-booked. Set in 21st century Derry, The Christmas Present contrasts the lives of two band members involved in a failed robbery, one of whom goes to jail while the other, who is less talented, escapes and becomes a huge success on the West End.

Many years later, however, when the star returns home for a special Christmas concert, his old friend’s jealousy emerges.

This causes all kinds of conflict and chaos – particularly when, through a bizarre set of occurrences, the two men switch lives.

As ever, with Downey stories, there is a comedic twist in the tail, which ensures the reader is kept guessing until the last minute.

Also included, as a special bonus feature, in the new book is Downey’s earlier festive short story, A Christmas Carol. Downey’s last novel, Once Upon A Time in the North West (2015), is a newsroom thriller set against the backdrop of the Derry newspaper industry over the past century.

It has been well-regarded by critics, with the Irish News describing it as ‘a love letter to Derry’, while Culture Northern Ireland said it deserved to be ‘widely read and widely acclaimed’.

Since 2004, Downey (pictured) has published a total of eight novels.

He has also written several works of non-fiction including Creggan: More Than A History (2000, with the late Michael McGuinness), City of Music: Derry’s Music Heritage (2009, with Declan Carlin) and 2013: A LegenDerry Year.

And he edited Emmett McCourt’s Feast or Famine: A Culinary Journey through the North West of Ireland, which won two World Gourmand Book awards. The limited edition copies of The Christmas Present, priced £4, will be available in Little Acorns, Foyle Books and Easons bookshops from next Tuesday, December 20. They can also be pre-ordered from Guildhall Press.