Paul Howard, the mind behind the notorious character Ross O’Carroll-Kelly, is hanging up his pen to retire the infamous south Dublin legend after 25 years. The character, known as Rossmeister General, first took the stage in a satirical column for the Sunday Tribune in 1999, and his final appearance will be in Howard’s last novel of the series, Don’t Look Back in Ongar, this coming August.
Ross O’Carroll-Kelly’s impact on Irish culture is undeniable, with 24 novels, three offshoot books, four on-stage adaptations, and a continued weekly column under Howard’s belt. These works, which offer unique perspectives on a range of relevant topics – from rugby and sexuality to food and friendship, and later, the political outlook of Ireland, have shot to the top of the bestseller lists. Three have won in the Popular Fiction category at the Irish Book Awards, resulting in the series selling in excess of a million copies.
The character has gained iconic status in Ireland, spawning a multitude of PhD theses on Howard’s works. Critics have consistently sung praises for the series. In 2019, Hugh Linenhan acknowledged the “cherished SoCoDu fool” and Howard, celebrating their “incredible continuity of comic brilliance”. Linenhan extolled Howard’s comedic exploration of our excessively consumeristic era, seen through the lens of his contemporary, chino-clad Candide. He even suggested that a complete set of Ross O’Carroll-Kelly’s works would be an apt first addition to any time capsule intending to explain Ireland post-2000 to future generations.
Howard expressed his profound sorrow at concluding the Ross O’Carroll-Kelly series after 24 fulfilling years, stating that writing the 27 books in this series comprised a major component of his adult life, every moment of which he cherished. He suggested that the lengthy run of the series signifies the perfect moment for him to explore other pursuits.
Howard showed deep appreciation towards his faithful readers, many of whom have journeyed with Ross since the publication of the first book, The Miseducation of Ross O’Carroll-Kelly. He hopes they conclude that Don’t Look Back in Ongar is a befitting finale to the series that does Ross justice.
Preserving considerable gratitude, he credited his publisher, Penguin Random House Ireland, which remained a supportive partner for twenty years. Special gratitude was extended to Michael McLoughlin, the managing director, for backing a brash rugby player character with complex romantic entanglements and ambitious dreams.
He recognised the paramount role of the nation’s booksellers in the success of the Ross series over the past decades, thanking each of them for their unwavering support. He pointed out that as a book writer in Ireland, he got acquainted with many bookstore employees.
Howard anticipated a significant change in his life without a Ross O’Carroll-Kelly book deadline looming over him, nevertheless looking forward to narrating different stories.
Ross O’Carroll-Kelly also shared his thoughts, confessing that he never was skilled at goodbyes, hence his expertise in exiting bedroom windows without bidding farewell. Still, he found it necessary to thank his fans for keeping up with his odyssey over the years. Comparing the 1.5 million copies of the books sold to filling Croke Pork 18 times, he expressed his astonishment and gratitude.
“It’s been a brilliant adventure, and I’m eager to discover what future awaits me. If you’re reading this, Leo Cullen, have no qualms about picking up the phone. You’ve got my digits, pal.”
Patricia Deevy, the Vice Publisher, expressed, “It’s been an utterly delightful and deeply gratifying experience for all of us at Sandycove to have collaborated with Paul on the Ross O’Carroll-Kelly books for two decades. The series represents an remarkable achievement of consistently exceptional writing by one of Ireland’s most talented and insightful authors, who is unquestionably its most humorous. On top of that, Paul’s a pleasure to work with — thoughtful, cooperative, and always entertaining — and he’s universally beloved at Penguin. Ross’s absence will certainly be noted.”
During a 2021 conversation with Patrick Freyne about the series’ inception, Howard explained that the character of Ross emerged from a sense of indignation.
“As a sports reporter, I observed school’s rugby and due to its unfamiliarity, I found it amusing. It was the customs that revolved around the match… dads who had left school 40 years ago were still showing up to cheer the school team. They seemed to be stuck in perpetual youth; these men would still return to support their team. And then there were the mothers who faithfully stood in the mud to watch Traolach play, alongside the groups of girls who were smitten with these notably unattractive rugby players.
“I saw it as raw material. But upon receiving a legal notice for mistakenly attributing a try to the incorrect kid, I realised how ridiculously high the stakes were.
“What was peculiar was finding out that the very people I aimed to vex had become my readers. A friend from a bookstore informed me that these lads would come in on Saturday mornings and crowd around the books, roaring with laughter and making comments like ‘oh that’s so Traolach’.
“This left me disheartened because Ross was essentially a manifestation of my awareness of class differences and my conviction that with wealth in Ireland, one could navigate life quite effortlessly.”
In penning the books over the past few years, I’ve come to recognise that Ross is likely the sole character I genuinely adore now. It’s ironic, considering my initial aim was to depict him as the most detestable individual in the novels.