Children’s writer Catherine Doyle, from Galway, has a keen understanding of the youth, acknowledging their intelligence, intuition, and affinity for intriguing villains. Situated into the quaint suburb on the outskirts of Galway where she resides – she’s a delightful company marked by her expressive eyes, radiant blond hair, and vibrant personality, which paints a striking resemblance to a Disney princess.
We convened to delve deeper into her latest literary venture ‘Pirates of Darksea’, marking her thirteenth publication in a decade. Her repertoire has been translated into over 25 languages worldwide. The novel unfolds in her home city, narrating the tale of a seriously ill lad named Christopher, battling cancer in the hospital while his parents desperately hope for a miracle. Enter Pirate King Captain O’Malley, who’s on the hunt for a new crew member in Galway. Christopher’s younger sibling, Max, willingly joins, fervently hoping to discover a magic antidote for his ailing brother.
The plot inspiration stems from Doyle’s personal experiences as a child, where she witnessed her brother endure a severe illness for a period, although he fortunately made a complete recovery. “This very transformative experience shaped me,” she recalls, “We chose not to wallow in sorrow, but instead continued living our lives optimistically, hoping he’d recover and bounce back, despite the potential outcomes.”
When asked about her apprehensions over including such grave matters in a children’s book, Doyle acknowledges that children grapple with as many, if not more, obstacles compared to adults, including death and grief. She asserts she’s never one to avoid addressing these aspects, rather she prefers instilling bravery, resilience, and a glimmer of hope in children when dealing with these themes. After all, she reflects, “This pattern of confronting sorrowful aspects of life is very much in the Irish spirit.”
Doyle’s craft is deeply rooted in Irish folklore and traditions. Her bestseller, the Storm Keeper trilogy, was conceived during a visit to her grandparents’ ancestral home in Arranmore. Back in Galway, she managed to write an astounding 10,000 words in just seven days. However, she feared the Irish elements in her narrative might not resonate with a broader readership. Despite her concerns, she forwarded it to her literary agent who instantly managed to sell the manuscript based solely on the strength of those initial 10,000 words, leading to the series’ publication in a whopping 27 countries.
“That ignited a critical transformation in my professional path,” acknowledges Doyle, “which guided me towards tailoring my writing predominantly for young audiences. I believe stories for children wield enormous power as they tap into the intrinsic sense of marvel that’s integral to Irish narratives. Every time I pen a children’s book, it fosters a connection with my inner child. It would indeed be a disheartening day were I to lose this connection, for I firmly believe my inner child is at the helm of my literary journey, incessantly fuelling my undying passion.”
Discovering her passion took Doyle a considerable amount of time. Her early life was spent in Jamaica where her parents were engaged in missionary work—her mother as a doctor and her father as a teacher. They eventually moved back to Galway where Doyle was raised and went on to study psychology at the National University of Ireland, Galway. “The notion of becoming a published author was beyond my contemplation. I didn’t perceive it as a real career ambition.”
“I harbour a dream of writing a book for adult readers,” she reveals, “which would draw subtle inspiration from my grandparents’ romantic tale.” After obtaining her degree, Doyle enrolled in a postgraduate course in health psychology, only to abandon it on the first day. “I’ve experienced rare, riveting instances in my life, what I term as lightning-bolt moments. When they occur, it’s hard for me to overlook them. So I stood up abruptly during the inaugural lecture, rushed out, and walked home. I ended up in the kitchen, where I broke down, feeling clueless about my life path,” she recalls. Her mother sought help from a local priest who quoted poet Mary Oliver, leading Doyle to question what she desired to do with her “singular, invaluable life” — the response led her back to books.
Doyle took a significant detour in her life, veering away from her mother’s medical profession to pursue her own passion. Prior to this, she had followed the expected path, but over time, she found her admiration for her mother wasn’t about the career itself, but rather the dedication and fervour her mom exhibited. She discovered her own zeal in a different field and learned from her mom’s spirit rather than her profession.
Currently, she resides in Galway, along with her spouse from California. One might anticipate she’d prefer the year-round sunshine in the west coast of the United States over the year-round rains of Ireland, but Doyle cherishes her hometown. She describes Galway as her “heart stone,” resonating with her emotionally and charging her creativity. The sea aroma, the wilderness of Connemara, the sound of the storm, all of these elements are closely intertwined with her Irish roots and nourish her knack for imagination.
At the early age of 23, she was writing for the sake of writing, but this changed over time. Now, her focus lies on crafting something profound and meaningful.
Often children’s writers face the unwarranted enquiry about their plans to write adult fiction. Despite this question being frequently seen as improper, she is asked the same. Doyle reveals that she bears the thought of crafting a book for adults. A story, vaguely inspired by her grandparent’s romantic tale serves as the backdrop for this. Her grandparents initially met as children on Arranmore, and after living in Chicago as immigrants, returned to the island where her grandmother was a teacher and grandfather a ferry captain. When her grandfather would finish a day at work, he would radio in with “Hello Bluebird” to announce his return home to his beloved wife, instilling an idea for a story in Doyle’s creative mind.
In the 1980s when the ship ceased its operations, the family had no idea of its whereabouts till the day Doyle’s sibling relocated to Dublin and chanced upon it viewing from his apartment across the canal basin. Upon seeing it, he was astonished, and would occasionally pay the ship visits, then relay this news to their grandfather. Their grandfather passed away amid the Covid crisis, and the grandmother followed suit two years later. “The evening she passed away, the Naomh Éanna tilted and gradually started to sink. It was a powerful sign for me that she had rejoined my grandfather, and they had both embarked on a journey to a faraway land,” Doyle narrates. The story certainly has the making of a beautiful novel, she’s told. “Shifting from creating fast-paced mythical narratives to concocting slower, more grounded, and realistic tales is quite a shift. While I’m not prepared to take up the challenge currently, it definitely rests in my bucket list,” she shares.
Today, at 33, Doyle, with her multitude of books giving her fame worldwide, ponders her feelings towards writing. “Reflecting back to my 23-year-old self, my writing then was solely for writing’s own sake. Currently, my intention behind writing has evolved towards conveying something substantial and relevant.” She perceives success simply as the ability to continue writing. “Recognising your zeal, dwelling in it, and earning your livelihood through it, that’s my idea of success. Occasionally, amidst impending deadlines, I consciously divert my attention to a profound feeling of gratitude because I am conscious of the fact that my present is a result of relentless determination and toil, and certainly not coincidential.”
Towards the end of the conversation, she is asked about her thoughts on the fundamental principle prevalent in all children’s literature, from Harry Potter to the Chronicle of Narnia, where it is firm belief that good shall inevitably overthrow evil. How does she view this? “Life can throw evils of numerous sorts at you. No matter what, confronting that evil in the best way possible is imperative. The crucial aspect is to maintain hope and optimism, believing that anything can be achieved. I firmly believe in this philosophy and it directs the way I live my life.”
Pirates of Darksea has recently been released, published by Bloomsbury. Electric Monkey is set to publish Burning Crowns on the 25th of April.