Seamus O'Rourke’s Leaning on Gates: The witty and gritty of rural life

Seamus O'Rourke’s second memoir, Leaning on Gates: The Sex, The Silage, and The Bloody Sergeant, delivers a humorous, raw, and reflective account of life in 1980s rural Ireland. A follow-up to his first memoir, Standing in Gaps, this new work invites readers to experience the trials, joys, and absurdities of growing up in Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim, through O'Rourke’s candid and captivating storytelling.

O'Rourke’s writing style reflects his background as a performer. He describes his approach: “I write it as if I was performing. I write it with an audience in my head. Because the one thing I did learn was how to hold an audience, so I’m trying to hold the reader in the same way.” His narrative is vibrant and immediate, capturing the energy of his live performances.

His path to storytelling began unexpectedly. “They were building a new theatre in Carrigallen, and I was asked to take these new seats there,” he recalled. “I was 23 or 24... I walked in, and it kind of took my breath away. I thought, if you were someone who wanted to do something on stage, that’s the stage to do it on.” This moment ignited his passion for the stage. “The minute I got on the stage... I was very nervous, but the minute I did that in front of an audience, I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

O'Rourke compares his writing process to building a dry stone wall. “I always think of writing as building a dry stone wall. First, you gather all the stones, and the editing process is like sorting out which ones to use. I love that whole process.” He immerses himself in writing, often isolating himself to focus deeply on his craft: “When I start to write, I might as well be in the cupboard... I’m going into my head to write, not looking out at the landscape.”

Writing about his past mistakes was challenging for O'Rourke. “I also had to work out why my younger self made those mistakes... mostly naivety and stupidity... it was quite painful.” His candid reflections on youthful excesses add depth to his stories, revealing a raw honesty beneath the humour. He acknowledges that confronting these aspects was uncomfortable but necessary: “We drank far too much, and in hindsight, it doesn’t sit that happy with me.”

O'Rourke also reflects on the pub culture in Carrigallen, describing it as “lined with characters, almost Dickensian. They all had theories on life and work, and never did a day's work in their life. But when I look back... nothing wonderful ever happened because of the pub.”

His time in New York at age 20 provided its own set of lessons. With dreams of a football career and a farmer's approach to strength, he recalls, “I had never been in a gym before... I would stick the pin at the bottom of all the weights, thinking, I’m a farmer, I’m as strong as a gymnast.” Reality soon set in. “A year later, I came back looking like the Michelin Man, unable to walk properly, full of muscles and thick with bulk.”

At its core, Leaning on Gates is a tribute to the simplicity and contentment of rural life. O'Rourke expresses a deep-rooted love for Leitrim: “I’ve never longed to be anywhere else, only Leitrim... I’ve never tried to hide the fact that I’m quite happy here, doing very normal things.” His connection to his roots and the pull of home are evident throughout the memoir.

O'Rourke’s straightforward writing style is intentional. “I wanted to give rural people a book that they might stick with,” he explains. For him, authenticity comes from simplicity. “I don’t want to start trying to put beautiful, romantic sentences together if it’s not what I want to say.” He values a raw, honest voice over overly polished prose.

In Leaning on Gates, O'Rourke invites us to lean on the gate with him, to look back at rural life in all its humour and heart. His storytelling feels like a friendly chat at the local pub, full of colourful characters, youthful blunders, and reflections on the simplicity of home.

Leaning on Gates, published by Gill Books, will be officially launched on Sunday, September 15th, at 5 pm at the Corn Mill Theatre. Fans attending the launch should expect roadworks near the venue, so plan accordingly. The book hits stores on Thursday.