Leitrim’s Seamus O’Rourke tops Irish non-fiction bestseller list

“Leaning on Gates,” a book by Leitrim author, writer, poet, actor and director Seamus O’Rourke, has claimed the spot on the Irish non-fiction bestseller this week.

The Carrigallen native released “Leaning on Gates” in September of 2024, as a sequel to his acclaimed memoir titled “Standing on Gaps.”

In “Leaning on Gates,” O’Rourke reflects on his journey beyond Leitrim, exploring life in New York, Dublin and London while still capturing the essence of rural Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s.

Renowned for his rich storytelling and sharp humour, O’Rourke is known for embodying the spirit of rural Irish life.

Just recently on January 25, O’Rourke appeared as a guest on the beloved Tommy Tiernan Show where he shared anecdotes from his childhoods, talked through his creative process and read an excerpt from “Leaning on Gates.”

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

Second memoir invites readers to experience the absurdities of growing up in Leitrim.

The excerpt, taken from the bestselling book, was a heartfelt story of his late father.

O’Rourke recalled sitting on his father’s knee as a child, touching his face and rubbing his stubble.

He later reflected on his father’s dry rural humour, recalling how on his return from America, his father simply asked, “Was there many on the plane?”

He ended the reading with a poignant memory - touching his father’s face once more after he had passed. “I chose to remember him when I was just a child when he bounced me on his knee and said, up up little horsey, up up again, how many miles to Dublin, four score and ten.”

The excerpt captured the hearts of all who watched, earning O’Rourke an outpouring of praise and support.

A video shared by RTÉ One on Instagram featuring his reading has garnered over half a million views and over 600 comments, with many applauding the Leitrim man for his heartfelt words and powerful delivery from across the world.

One person commented, “Brought tears to my eyes here in New Zealand. Who is this man? I must read his book.”Celebrating his book’s bestseller status this week, O’Rourke took to Facebook to express his gratitude to Tommy Tiernan and his publisher, Gill Books.

“Thank you the good people who went out and bought ‘Leaning on Gates’ - it’s officially No One Bestseller in the Irish non-fiction charts this week. Storm or no storm - power or no power - we shall get the turf home!” he joked.

READ MORE: Empowering women entrepreneurs in Leitrim at EmpowHER 2025