Then she’s watching a service strangely the Priest is talking about the game, there are the team, there’s Megan (Joseph’s girlfriend) with his mother and there’s Dan …Īnd then she remembers something about Dan, a visit, being told something she didn’t want to know. The little gifts he leaves for her to find, his help with technology so she can get the Mass online, his love of hurling reminds her of the stick Dan (her brother and Joseph’s grandfather) made for her for the Camogie final. Joseph’s great aunt, we aren’t told her name, is a retired teacher now in her nineties she enjoys her visits from Joseph.

As she waits she reminisces about Joseph, about hurling, about Camogie, about family and estrangement. She is able to see part of the pitch and can watch Joseph playing. Joseph’s great aunt is waiting for Joseph, it’s his night to visit, when he finishes his training session. Released On: (Available for over a year). Writer: Bernie McGill Reader: Julia Dearden Producer: Michael Shannon Executive Editor: Andy Martin A BBC Northern Ireland production. Her second short story collection This Train is For was published by No Alibis Press in June 2022. Her first short story collection Sleepwalkers was short listed in 2014 for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize. Her novel The Watch House was nominated in 2019 for the Ireland/European Union Prize for Literature and The Butterfly Cabinet was named in 2012 by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes as his novel of the year. She studied English and Italian at Queen’s University, Belfast and graduated with a Masters degree in Irish Writing. She has also written audio scripts for heritage projects and stage scripts for theatre. Bernie McGill is the author of two novels and two short story collections. Listen to Bernie’s short story ‘ Waiting for Joseph’ read by Julia Dearden on BBC Radio 4.Īn original short story commissioned by BBC Radio 4 from the writer Bernie McGill.

The butterfly cabinet by bernie mcgill