Shattered by the Bookseller of New York

I’m not one for conspiracy theories. But the copy of Alan Shatter’s book, Laura, a story you’ll never forget, was supposed to be shipped on Wednesday according to the ever efficient Amazon.com, only I got an email yesterday from the bookseller to say they were out of stock, promptly followed by a refund email. What can I say, were they being greedy and thought they’d make a hundred dollars more? It went up from 1 cent in the UK last week to thirty dollars (what I paid) as of today it’s 165 pounds and, I kid you not, three copies are 999 dollars each in USA.

I’ve found one on Donedeal with a lady on the North Side for 50 euro, but oh, dear, that is such a lot of food I could buy instead, unless of course I can read it, review it quickly (I feel that won’t be a problem) and re-sell it. I have another trick up my sleeve but saying nothing until I have it in my hand.

Enough bibliophile undercover activities, I wrote a post about the Surreal Moment in Leinster House last Thursday, not realising the effort would take the stuffing out of me when I got home. Though the stories from the group of women in Termination for Medical Reasons brought my own experience back to me and caused a flood of tears, it was the weight of emotion in the room and the compassion from all but two of the audience (the two that left rather obviously before the end, Peter Mathews and Fidelma Healy-Eames) that overcame me at home. It was the kind of evening to be wrapped in a blanket and watch trash TV with chocolate and red wine. Which is exactly why I record Revenge and enjoy my guilty pleasure all the more, can’t wait to see what Laura and her guilty pleasures are all about.

Surreal Moment at Leinster House

This is not a baby

I sat in the AV room at Leinster House with eight women and one man in front of me, a full audience of TDs and Senators behind. Richard Boyd Barrett introduced the topic and revealed that he and his former partner had the experience of fatal foetal abnormality, he certainly empathised with the issue.

Ruth had only begun her story and I was crying. Thankfully I had the canteen serviettes in my bag, because there were eight more stories to go and I don’t think I could have remained sitting.

You see, even though I went through the trauma of fatal foetal abnormality eleven years ago, I have never known anyone I could talk to, or with whom I could share the experience. Even though I wrote about it, and took the first human rights case against Ireland, I still felt alienated as if this was something only I had to go through. 

So today was quite a milestone. I had no intention of speaking because I find it very difficult to repeat my story but I realised I could remember all the legal nuances from my ECHR case and the Heads of Bill.

I stood and said I was Deirdre de Barra who wrote the letter in 2002. I am normally very nervous speaking in public, but the facts were so well known to me and the wrongdoing so clear, that it wasn't an effort, the point was to remind these legislators how to enable the amendment to the Bill. 

It was funny and kind of David Norris to say to me afterwards that he kept my letter. Indeed it was very moving to hear each and every one who spoke in response, that they would support legislation in this situation.

Catherine Murphy Kildare North TD said it all when she described the listening experience as surreal, stating that briefings in the AV Room were generally full of engagement, questions and explanations, but in this case there was no need, it was so clear that change was needed.

I firmly believe there is scope to amend the proposed bill, we have cross party support and I believe that support will grow. It was unfortunate that Peter Mathews had to leave mid presentation, the briefing was only for an hour, if he couldn’t stay he shouldn’t have come in. Because he missed what I had to say to him. Don’t compare a flower with a fatally abnormal foetus.