Biography

My dad was Irish and my mom was French—another one of those mixed marriages. But they appreciated the same things. Of course, my dad said, "It took me twenty years to learn." Harold Griffin´s short story, "The Leaving," won 1st prize in the 2000 Nuacht short story competition, sponsored by the St. Patrick´s Society of Montreal. The selection committee anticipated that Harold Griffin´s story "would have wide audience appeal and capture the experience of many people in the Irish community."

Books by Harold Griffin

About the Book

This is Harold Griffin´s second collection of short stories. Most of the settings for these accounts are placed in the Montreal area or surroundings, with many of the characters of Irish ancestry. The first narration, "Under This Mantle of Snow", is told from the point of view of a 12-year-old boy from a rural community west of Montreal. He recounts the occurrences in a "typical" school day, the happenings dominated by the dynamic behaviour of a close friend and schoolmate. In two of the other tales, the character Alphonsus is recalled from Griffin´s previous short story collection, "fragile boys, fragile men," continuing to express his political whims and social misadventures. The remaining stories deal with the day-to-day events of a cast of characters with their own obsessions, dreams, and experiences.

About the Book

On a sumptuous August day in 1952, in an agrarian setting, 14-year-old Francis Carroll inadvertently overhears a rancorous confrontation between two farmers. Several hours later one of the men is murdered. The occurrence traumatizes an Irish community and mesmerizes a nearby city where the ensuing trial is held. As a reluctant witness, Francis struggles through the ordeal of testifying. The ongoing story then blends the tragedy, history, and exhilaration of a Canadian Irish experience.

"Griffin´s prose is eminently readable.... There is a marked maturity to his work, and a richness to his voice."

   - Nelson Peters, Quebec Chronicle Telegraph.

"I was able to appreciate Griffin´s skill as a sensitive narrator. He has a knack for characterization. He is able to get inside the heads of his subjects....and lets the reader know their thoughts. Poignant, amusing, and provocative....."

   - Anne Forrest, Editor, "Nuacht" (Montreal)

About the Book

In fragile boys, fragile men there are six other fictionalized accounts that deal with the descendants of Irish immigrants who have their Canadian roots in Shannon, Quebec, and who settle in the Quebec City area. Even if some of these stories are not so "quiet" and in some instances more dramatic, the desire of the writer is to show how the Irish have blended into the francophone atmosphere of Quebec City. Not all of the stories have satisfactory outcomes, and not all of the characters are exemplary in their approach to life. Yet their family ties are strong, and there is a desire to foster good will and accommodation with their compatriots of the francophone community. The final three stories are contemporary and not attached to the Irish experience, but still very Canadian.