Tag Archives: Hitching for Hope

Lahinch author honoured by president for his book on hitch-hiking adventures around Ireland LAHINCH author, charity founder and campaigner, Ruairí McKiernan has been lauded by the President for his new book, Hitching for Hope – A Journey into the Heart and Soul of Ireland. President Michael D Higgins said the work “offers hope” during turbulent times. He described the best-selling book as being “in the fine tradition of a search for what is most valuable in the different spaces of Ireland and how they might help us craft a new way forward together.” He added that it is “empathic in approach, well written, and crucially, it offers hope.” President recently invited Ruairí to present the book at Áras an Uachtaráin. The event had been due to take place last year but was postponed due to pandemic restrictions. Although Ruairí had been to the Áras on numerous occasions previously, while serving on the Council of State during 2012-2019, he said this …

Lahinch author Ruairí McKiernan writes about the challenges of writing his first book, overcoming initial rejection from publishers, and then launching what became a No.1 bestseller at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was never my dream to write a book, but it seemed life had other plans. The first call to write came when I was 23 and living in Canada. A publisher approached me after hearing me on the radio discussing globalisation. I was no expert on the subject, but I decided to give it a go. A third of the way through the first draft I gave up. Too hard, too time-consuming; the writing life not for me. “Never again,” I said. Fast forward a decade. I’m hitchhiking around Ireland on what I called a listening tour; seeking out hope for myself and my country. At that time I was burnt out, feeling lost and depressed, and so too was post-boom Ireland. I began meditating, bringing awareness to …