The Mask and Other Stories

Stories of modern Irish women. Sensual and stirring poignant and romantic.

Menomadness - Approaching fifty, May Duggan is taken aback by her vigorous sexual response. Prey to fantasy, she roams the woods naked at night and feeds her lust on erotica, until Stan, the washing machine repair man happens by and they romp together in her sagging featherbed.

Top Girl - A competitive pregnant career-minded young woman gives in to pressure at work to embrace motherhood and spends her time knitting small garments and secretly enjoying her pregnancy.

Sisters - When glamorous Felicity visits her stout, overburdened sister with a big brood of young children, she brings with her gifts of perfume and chocolates, all the time keeping up the fiction that she can't wait to have children of her own. But when her birth control pills are mistaken for 'sweeties' by Maura's toddler, her lies are found out and she rushes away, only remembering the forgotten Pill as she returns home to the arms of her amorous husband.

The Mask - Following her visit to a Harley Street skin specialist, Claire allows her badly scarred face to be made up with an amazing new cosmetic. Confronted by the white face and pouting red lips of the 'geisha girl' she feels robbed of her identity but to her shame responds to her louche sexually aroused husband.

Menomadness won the Image/Oil of Ulay Short Story Competition.

Ashes won the John Power Short Story Award at Listowel Writers Week

Top Girl was published in Irish Tatler

Sisters was published in Woman's Way Journal.

The Mask was broadcast on BBC.