Rúnaí an Aire is a contemporary novel exploring power, politics and personal relationships,
Áine Ní Ghlinn
A novel for children.
How often do we hear the word “gay” used as a casual insult?
When Eoghainín calls Ciarán, better known as Cío, “gay” and tells him he won’t be able to play football because of it, Cío doesn’t really understand what he means. He doesn’t really understand the word, but he is devastated at the thought of not being able to play on the school team — and maybe even the county team one day.
The boys’ older sisters step in to challenge the idea, helping them to see that using the word in that way is wrong, and that a person’s interests or abilities have nothing to do with labels.
As the younger boys begin to work through their disagreement, another question lingers: can a long-running football rivalry between two teenagers also be resolved? Can they be rivals on the pitch and still be friends once the match is over?
