The Eclipse

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

I'm going to formally launch

the 11th Festival of Literature and Poetry.

No messing now, Thomas. Straight to bed.

Dad, a quick game of Death Troopers IV.

It's a quarter to 11:00-bed.

- 10 minutes. - It's a school night.

- Tomorrow's Friday. - Tomorrow's Thursday. Go to bed.

- Good night, Dad. - Good night, hon.

I'll be up in five minutes to make sure you're asleep.

Five minutes?

Yes, you're lucky to be up this late at all.

Yeah, very lucky- boring old speeches.

Go on the hell up there, young lad.

Lie down. Lie down.

Go to sleep.

Oh, yes, I'm sorry to disturb you so late.

My name is Michael Farr.

I have a funny question. I was just wondering

if one of your residents, Malachy McNeill, is there.

He mightn't have slipped out during the night?

He's my father-in-law.

He's there?

And he's all right?

Yeah, okay, good.

Well, thanks very much.

And again, I'm sorry for calling you so late.

Okay, bye. Thanks.

There's a message from Granddad on the machine.

Yeah? What did he say?

I don't know. Something about last night.

Oh, Jesus.

I forgot. I said I'd bring him with us.

You'd better call him.

I'll call on him later.

- Are you all right with food? - Yeah.

Who were you talking to last night?

I wasn't talking to anybody.

I was just dreaming.

Were you dreaming about Mom?

No.

I was dreaming about

how awful those sausage rolls were last night.

Jeez, they were terrible.

We're broadcasting this morning from Cobh...

Dad, look. It's the festival.

...and it's a real honor to be joined

by one of the great novelists of our time-Nicholas Holden.

Thank you. Thank you.

And "The White Gallows" is to be made into a movie, I see?

Yes, I'm very pleased about that, actually.

Starring Ralph Fiennes, no less.

Whom I just adore.

Don't we all?

Now we've lots of messages,

too many to read out, congratulating you

on being given the prestigious Jonathan Swift Award.

Thank you. Thank you.

- Hi. - Hi there.

Doreen, no. You'll have to wait.

Doreen, Doreen, hold on, love.

Hi, Joe.

Hi, Malachy.

Sorry. Things are a bit mad.

I totally forgot about you yesterday.

There's your razors you asked me to get

and your 7-Up.

That's-

What's that?

That's the tickets to the festival.

I meant to drop them up to you, but you know, things got-

you know that I was all dressed up here

and ready to go last night? You know that?

One of the nurses tried to ring you.

Yeah, I know, Malachy. I'm sorry. There's just so-

I mean, I had the kids to get ready and everything.

Yeah.

Don't ever let them put you in a home, Michael.

Here.

I had a dream about you last night.

Yeah?

I dreamt that you were in the house.

I could have sworn you were there.

I dreamt that Eleanor was here last night.

- Yeah? - Yeah.

And she looked like

when she was just three or four maybe.

I followed her out- out there into the little garden.

And then I couldn't find her.

I was panicking,

wondering where she'd gone.

And then I remembered she is gone

and it's-

I have those.

Yeah.

I know what it's like to lose your wife, Michael.

It-it's unbelievable.

But when you lose a child-

Jesus, it's almost like you think there can't be a God.

How many are there?

Hello.

Hello hello hello. Hiya.

Good to see you.

Welcome. Welcome.

Hello, welcome. Welcome.

And this is professor...

Hello. How are you?

Hello hello. Is that them all?

- I think so. - Okay, thank you.

Where is Lena Morelle?

I was on the phone to her agent.

She told me- assured me actually-

- that she had already left for the airport. - She's not here.

What more can I do? Michael, at last.

Do me a favor, nip down to the station to pick up Lena Morelle for me.

Lena Morelle? I thought she was supposed to get in last night.

Michael, don't you start.

Um, how are you getting on?

You need to make sure these measurements are exact

before you cut the wood any shorter, understand?

All right? Good.

Dad, I'm going to Olivia's house.

- Okay, don't be out late. - I won't.

And don't be hanging around that corner

at the lane there, do you hear me?

I won't. We're getting a video.

All right.

Be good.

What are you doing up there?

I'm just-just correcting a few copybooks.

Is it not freezing up there?

It is, yeah, but I'll be down shortly.

See you later.

Yeah.

Be good now.

Shh, Ringo.

Hi, Lena.

It's Nicholas. The eagle has landed.

I'm here in Cobh. It's a beautiful sunny day-

for the next 20 minutes, anyway.

And I've booked us a restaurant.

I was just wondering, what time do you get in at?

I can't wait to see you.

Really looking forward to seeing you again.

Anyway,

I'm surrounded by lamebrains and dilettantes here,

but don't worry about that.

We'll have a laugh.

All right, give me a call. Okay, bye.

I'm just saying maybe you should read it again,

because you've misread it completely.

- Excuse me, Mr. Holden. - Are you my ride?

Yeah, sorry. I got stuck at the school.

- Thanks for the drink. - You're welcome.

Listen, this has thrown my whole day out of whack now.

I was supposed to do an interview for "The Observer."

- Here, let me get that. - No, I got it, I got it.

This interview-now I don't know how I'm going to fit that in.

You can't just leave me sitting in the foyer like this.

- I'm a sitting duck. - Mind yourself.

We'll get you there. We'll get you there on time, don't worry.

You see, what happens is,

when I'm left hanging around in the hotel,

people feel entitled to come up to you

and harass you and criticize your book.

Like I give a fuck what he thinks.

The book's a best-seller. The critics love it.

Like I care.

I mean, Jesus Christ.

It's like an old lrish boxing coach of mine said...

"The fortress has to move, boy.

Otherwise you're taking hits.

And then your energy is gone."

Stay on the move. Nothing to prove.

Have you done some boxing?

A bit, when I was at college.

What weight?

Light middleweight.

Any good?

Not really. More black eyes than medals.

Did you ever knock anybody out?

Nope.

I did.

Brutally satisfying, I have to say.

I know that's a terrible thing to admit,

but it's true.

The director had cut the scene, not me.

So Richard's looking at me and he sees what I'm looking at.

So he looks off towards the director

and the director ends up creeping off

back towards the toilets or something, trying to hide.

So finally the director is gone.

So I said "Richard, to be honest with you,

I have no idea why that scene has been cut,

but I do happen to have it here right with me.

Shall we go to your trailer and have a look at it?"

And that scene which wasn't in the book-

by the way, those of you who haven't read the book,

it is for sale right outside the marquee here.

I've just come out with a paperback edition.