Book blurb for Anseo
In 2013, Úna-Minh Kavanagh, a young journalist and content creator, was racially abused and spat upon in Dublin’s city centre. Having dealt with racism throughout her young life, this proud Kerrywoman had finally had enough. In the days that followed, she took to Twitter to call out the ‘land of a thousand welcomes’ for its naivety and cowardice in dealing with racism. The incident was widely shared in the media and her story went viral.
But Úna-Minh’s story actually begins in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 1991, when she was adopted at just three days old by a single woman from Kerry. Raised in a loving, Irish-speaking home by her mother and grandfather, Úna-Minh was instilled with an enduring sense of her multi-faceted Irish identity. In her first book, she writes honestly and humorously about tackling racism, language elitism and online trolls and the joy of turning her love of the internet, video games and accessible Irish-language content into a healthy work/life balance.
Written in English, the book is sprinkled with Úna-Minh’s own #FrásaAnLae and explanations of the Irish language throughout. Anseo is the heartwarming story of a diverse and contemporary Irish life. You can buy the book here.
The Process
I was approached by the Commissioning Editor of New Island Books, Aoife Walsh, to write a memoir about my life. I set to work on writing the book and wrote Anseo in about the space of three months. Then it was down to back-and-forth editing and revisions by myself and Aoife before publication in October 2019.
Reviews
“Anseo by Úna-Minh Kavanagh is a beautiful book. It is beautiful in its conception, execution and, most importantly, in its effect.” – The Irish Times
“Natural and funny, there’s often mischief in her voice and courage in her ambition, the same bravery she has needed in the past when standing up to racism in this country. ” – Dublin Inquirer
Overall skills
- Writing
- Editing
- Promotion (e.g. interviews, radio, written, panels, in-person, book festivals etc.)
Lonely Planet Experience Ireland
I worked with Lonely Planet in their Dublin offices, both in the newsroom as a journalist and also as part of their social media team. In 2021, I was approached to be part of their book team and worked on a new type of guide series, Lonely Planet Experience Ireland. My focus was County Kerry, County Wexford and Dublin.
Book blurb: Lonely Planet Experience Ireland travel guide reveals exciting new ways to explore this iconic destination with one-of-a-kind adventures at every turn. Cycle the wild Atlantic Coast Route, kayak amid seals in West Cork, and discover soft golden sand beaches in County Wexford – using our local experts and planning tools to create your own unique trip.
Overall Skills
- In-depth research
- Interviewing
- Route planning
- Travel writing
- Social Media messaging
- Working with deadlines
- In-house Narrative CMS