Storytelling for Adults, Mary Edward - Blending Fact and Fiction review Pat Byrne

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Storytelling for Adults, Mary Edward – Blending Fact and Fiction review Pat Byrne

In June I caught the train down to Alexandria to see Mary Edward at Storytelling for Adults – very enjoyable events showcasing local writers.

I have long admired Mary Edward’s writing, in particular I enjoyed ‘Gallowgate’, published in 2022. This is the story of the struggle and survival of the O’Donnell sisters, two young Irishwomen who immigrated to Glasgow in the 1850s. It very successful demonstrates Mary’s ability in ‘blending fact and fiction’ in an engrossing tale that also details the social history of that time.

Mary explained how she came to write her first book ‘Who Belongs To Glasgow’. From 1976 until 1996 she worked in education at Strathclyde Regional Council. Including, in later years, as Education Development Officer for Multi-Cultural Anti-Racist Education. This role involved developing and producing resources for the Education Department and delivering in-service programmes to teachers. Through her work she came to document the history of immigration to Glasgow.

Steeped in the topic of immigration and undertaking a vast amount of research in this area provided a wealth of information for her book ‘Who Belongs To Glasgow’. The book ‘weaves a vivid tapestry of the many peoples and cultures that have created contemporary Glasgow’. Mary spoke about how immigration is far from a new phenomenon and today we take for granted Glaswegians love for curries and Italian ice cream, first introduced generations ago by Indian, Pakistani and Italian immigrants to Scotland. Her book demonstrates Glasgow’s fascinating melting pot and how immigrants have served to enrich the city’s culture. A very important concept to grasp, particularly as today we hear so many negative views on the topic of migration.

Mary has had fun with her writing and she’s been ambitious in following a number of different paths. She challenged herself in the crime writing genre with her novel ‘Death Goes To School’, with the school being the fictional Fruin High, set near her home in Helensburgh.

In her writing she has drawn upon real events and she explained he these have inspired her writing, for example, the Tay Bridge Disaster in December 1879, which features in her book ‘A Spider’s Thread Across the Tay’. Described as a novel of passion and betrayal, it stays true to historical facts.

However, no story is successful without engaging characters and, whilst Mary deals effectively in describing both place and events, she also creates believable and interesting characters. Not least of all Andrew Mason in ‘A Spider’s Thread Across the Tay’, who we further encounter in the sequel to this novel, ‘Broken Threads’. Here we learn of Andrew’s personal tragedy and how he experiences grief set against the backdrop of Dundee’s jute industry and the frustrations he encounters when he buys a mill in Calcutta.

It was a very enjoyable event. The breadth of Mary’s writing is impressive and it was fascinating and informative listening to hear her talk about how writers can successfully blend fact and fiction.

Pat Byrne, July, 2024

Watch out for further Storytelling for Adults events. These take place on the last Tuesday of every month at Green Tree Remedies, (herbalist and complementary therapist), 4 Church Street, Alexandria. . Events are free and open to everyone but spaces are limited so good idea to get in touch if you are planning to go along. Further information.