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This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names,

characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the

author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons,

living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Ebook Published 2012

by Poolbeg Press Ltd

123 Grange Hill, Baldoyle

Dublin 13, Ireland

E-mail: poolbeg@poolbeg.com

www.poolbeg.com

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781781990810

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

www.poolbeg.com

About the author

Geraldine O’Neill was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland. She has lived in County Offaly, Ireland, with her husband, Michael Brosnahan, since 1991. She has two adult children, Christopher and Clare.

Summer’s End is her ninth book.

Acknowledgements

After nine books I know I should be like many authors and keep this brief, but it never works out!

My usual warm thanks to Paula, Gaye and staff at Poolbeg, and to my agent Mandy Little and the staff at Watson Little.

Thanks to Malcolm Ross-McDonald and the Offaly Writers’ Group, and Arts Officer Sinéad O’Reilly, for their continued support.

I’m very grateful to my friend and former teaching colleague, Declan Murray, for his generous and invaluable help in researching the cinemas of the 60s in Ireland for Summer’s End, and I enjoyed the entertaining chats about it.

Thanks to all the people who helped with the Sarah Love book launch, which raised funds for Dochas – the cancer support charity in Tullamore – especially Mary Cowen, Des Doyle, Mary Stuart, Siobhán McCormack-Ryan and Pauline Walshe. Thanks also to all the local businesses in Offaly who supported the event.

Much appreciation to all the lovely ladies from Offaly who attended the Acorn night – too many to name – it was a night I will always treasure and be grateful for! I remember and think of each one of you.

Writing Summer’s End brought back fond memories of our time in Ponteland Teacher Training College and all our old friends. I didn’t expect to return there so quickly after re-visiting Newcastle in Sarah Love, but I never know where the creative spirit will take me with each book!

I’m forever grateful to the friends and family from Scotland, Stockport and Ireland who continue to support my work and ask when my next book is due.

Congratulations to those with special birthdays this year: brother-in-law John, sister Berni, Mike’s mum Mary, sister Teresa, my mother Be-Be and friends Patricia Dunne and Joe Slamman.

Congratulations also to my nephew Tony on his marriage to Lisa!

Thanks to Teddy and Be-Be O’Neill – my parents and my greatest fans.

As always, I owe a debt of gratitude to Mike, Chris and Clare for their love and endless support.

Summer’s End is dedicated to three men who have had a special

place in my life for a long time:

Martin Doherty, Kevin Brosnahan and John Hynes

We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time.

T.S. Eliot