Nenagh native pens fantasy novel

A Nenagh native has penned the first in what he intends to be a series of fantasy novels inspired by astronomy and his life's work abroad.

Colin Clifford was born in Nenagh in 1943 and lived at St Patrick's Terrace. Moving on to work and live in several different countries – including Brazil – over the decades since, he still returns to his native homeland as often as he can, though he laments that Nenagh has changed largely beyond his recognition.

Encouraged by friends, Colin wrote a book titled 'The Fifth Princess', which was recently published and is now available on Amazon. The book centres on a mythical princess, a young Argentine girl seeking to bring peace to the world. She and the other four Celtic princesses have “powers beyond human comprehension, enabling them to bestow good and combat evil throughout the planet”. In his first story, Colin's protagonist encounters terrorists in a journey through time to fulfil her destiny.

Having retired as an inventor in 2007, Colin took up astronomy. He said he began putting his Princess story together in 2011 during the clouded nights, “using memories of people I knew in my life”.

Colin spent many years working in computer systems in Brazil before he moved to the UK, settling in Cornwall. “There I invented the world's first microwaveable food warmer, which won first prize at a NASA-organised show in Las Vagas,” he said. Among other inventions he claims are a plastic coating machine and a light-weight brick, patents for which were sold to companies in the US and UK.

Colin now lives in Llangollen, a small town in northeast wales. He was surprised to find himself becoming a writer, saying he was “never any good at the grammar side of written English... Like many of my old school friends.

“The challenge for me was to finish the task I had taken on and at the beginning,” he said of writing his first book. “I had no idea of ever publishing, but through pressure from friends it was published and, to my surprise, is doing very well on Amazon.”

Now Colin is working on his second book, a follow-up titled 'The Fifth Princess and the Black Pearl'. He admits that astro-photography remains his main hobby, and he captured a truly magical shot over the lake at Dromineer during a recent return home with his son Declan, an aerospace engineering student at Southampton University.

'Home' has however developed a new meaning for the author, who regrets that he finds it difficult to reconnect with the memories of his youth back here.

“Nenagh has changed a great deal over the past few years,” Colin said. “I'm not sure if it is all for the good, but I suppose that’s what they call progress.

“The last time I was over, Declan and I walked down through the town. It’s a shock to the system when you cannot recognise anyone.

“I think most of my school friends must be with the angels. Some of the shops that I knew are still there but most are now just buildings with new names and colours. Time cannot stand still.”