After 32 years of being a public representative, both locally and nationally, former TD, Minister of State, and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Liz McManus has released her fifth book, Tiny Bruises.

The book, which charts Ireland’s journey from before independence to the Covid-19 pandemic, follows fictional, everyday characters as they navigate the challenges of the decades.

On The Pat Kenny Show, Ms. McManus said she retired “gracefully” from frontline politics.

She noted that she was not weary from her time as a councillor and TD, but that she felt her “job was done.”

McManus: “Everybody has a story if you listen hard enough”

Ms. McManus said that despite having written all her life, she never thought of herself as a writer.

She noted that she “had so little confidence” in her writing early on, but that she felt more comfortable in her writing after her retirement.

Ms. McManus said that she did not know where her writing comes from, but remarked that she produced Tiny Bruises from her experience and work during a Creative Writing PhD.

Additionally, she argued her work as a public representative was important to her writing as she “was absorbing people’s experiences continually.” She said that “everybody has a story if you listen hard enough.”

“Ireland is the hero of the book”

Discussing the inspiration behind Tiny Bruises, Ms. McManus said she wanted to explore “the transformative change that took place in Ireland over my lifetime.”

She said that Ireland’s growth “is the hero of the book,” noting the country’s liberalisation and current wealth. She said this ensured a “massive drain of emigration” – constant in Ireland’s early years – did not continue.

Irish unity

Ms. McManus called a referendum on Irish unity “foolish,” but argued that partition was “arbitrary” and destructive.

She welcomed the recent Belfast Fleadh and said she supported a “united Northern Ireland,” which the Fleadh showed was possible, according to Ms. McManus.

She praised Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, who Ms. McManus said made a “wonderful speech” despite internal DUP divisions.

“PR protects us”

Ms. McManus also praised Ireland’s voting system and stated that she did not believe “there’s any better system than proportional representation.”

She argued that the practice was why Ireland had not seen a “massive growth of right-wing politics the way you have in other European countries.”

She said that the Irish system ensured “centrist politicians” were elected, and representatives that are more accountable to constituents.