Maggot religions, sigma wolves, and catfishing slug-eaters – no, this isn’t the depths of a niche-interest Reddit community, instead just a small portion of the compelling subjects in Blindboy Boatclub’s new book, Topographica Hibernica. Initially known from Irish musical comedy duo Rubberbandits, Blindboy is famous nowadays for his books and self-titled podcast, and his latest publication is a collection of short stories – named after an insulting account of Ireland by 12th century historic figure Gerald Of Wales.
At first glance, the 10 tales are eerie, dark and twisted. The Pistil Of Dandelions, a forlorn account of a cat family with themes of colonialism, makes you want to hug your own pet. There’s reminders of Irvine Welsh’s work throughout the book’s disconcerting characters, and Blindboy can also quickly shift to laugh-out-loud dialogues too, such as Jacky’s toxically masculine character in I’ll Give You Barcelona.
But, crucially, there’s a permeating sense of vulnerability. The Poitin Maker, the longest story, paints a beautiful Irish landscape, home to a maker of moonshine who’s suffering paranoia around pervasive fairies after his baby; and the emotional story about a neurodivergent young space enthusiast. Blindboy’s passion for Irish nature, mythology and folklore lends a spiritual profundity to Topographica Hibernica, and overall left me moved, with a lingering sense of unease.
Topographia Hibernica, Blindboy Boatclub (Coronet)
Price: £20/£24.99 audiobook. Info: here
words INDIA MUNDAY