The League Against Christmas

A brilliant farce from the master of comic intrigue and, in Roddy Doyle’s words, ‘The creator of some of the best barmen in modern literature – Michael Curtin.’

A glorious nostalgic farce set in the unforgiving 1980s. The League Against Christmas are five solo whist players who meet every Wednesday night in a dowdy pub – The King's Head – in Shepherd's Bush: Percy Bateman, a drifting Irish social misfit who once spectacularly failed on the rugby pitch; Kenneth Foster, an accountant who harbours desires to cross-dress; Arthur Ellis, a former area manager of NatWest finance who wants to convert the world to using lino (not a popular flooring in the chrome-plated 1980s) and carries a piece with him at all times for the purpose; Ernie Gosling, the King's Head potman; and Diana Hayhurst, shoulder-padded editor of Unipolitan magazine for the modern woman.

Each hates Christmas and the league decide to pursue an alternative: a diddly club robbery in Mellick, Co. Mayo, carried out under the hang-dog eyes of a couple of the Metropolitan Police's finest, who have mistaken the league for an IRA cell. This is Curtin at his irreverent, lovable best with a delightful cast of characters in a plot of pure devilry.

Reviews:

‘Curtin is one of Ireland’s best writers.’

Roddy Doyle

‘Michael Curtin is one of Ireland’s national treasures - a superb comic novelist.’

Sunday Express