Book Hub Publishing

09/10/2025

Time to post a gorgeously written Prologue from a book we published back in 2018 called 'Time To Be Me' by Máire-Rós O’Rahilly.

Prologue

"The only sound was that of the waterfall cascading down the sheer rose quartz cliff and exploding into a million microscopic droplets of pink, lilac and turquoise which sparkled with tiny specks of silver and gold. The air was headily infused with an aromatic symphony of lavender, rose, jasmine, geranium and honeysuckle, each breath melting me deeper and deeper into the surrounding bliss.

I sat on a large flagstone with my legs dangling into the crystal water watching it tumble from one large clear pool to another, making me think of a tower of glasses, filling up generously with an ever-flowing stream of cosmic champagne. Each pool was filled with rocks of varying colours and sizes – a visual banquet of turquoise, sapphire, emerald, ruby and diamond, all twinkling in the sunlight. The sky was that perfect blue, relieved only by a few white powder puff clouds drifting by.

The gushing water made its way to its destination without hesitation or doubt, oblivious to any obstacles in its path. It felt like a metaphor for how I wanted to live my life. I also knew that it would be hard, if not impossible, to remember what I was feeling now. Like in the case of most dreams, I knew that I would forget as soon as I opened my eyes.

Every time I was between lives, I would come here and every time it seemed more beautiful, the colours more vibrant, the scents sweeter, the vibration higher. Watching that water filled me with inspiration. I knew instinctively I had been here many times and each time my purpose was to remember who I am, a spiritual being inhabiting a human body (just like everyone else) so that I can be my authentic self and inspire others to do the same. The idea of encouraging others to come out of their shell excited me deeply.

It was here I felt the safest, the most connected, the most alive. Some people hold the belief that we don’t feel anything when we are here, but it is truer to say that we are clear and light here. We are not subject to the dense vibration of negative emotions. The grass felt like cool moss underfoot and the warm golden sunshine danced across my face and arms caressing them gently. It was here I had been working on my letter for what seemed like aeons.

I always had this place to myself precisely when I needed it although I knew I wasn’t the only one who knew of its presence. It amazed me that I had always been able to find the quiet and solitude I craved at times. There seemed to be so many of us, I used to wonder how it could be that this place was always free from people just when I wanted to be there alone. It was of course entirely possible that there were others there at the same time, only our subtle vibrational differences allowed each of us have the space to ourselves. It looked like my spiritual intelligence was, indeed, running the show very capably for me, taking care of every little detail, ensuring that everything was perfect.

Today, though, was special because my letter would have to be submitted. And this was only the first step in the process. Every detail would have to be immaculate, not least the quality, the choice of colour and design of the notepaper, the envelope and stamp. Everything would be taken into consideration, especially every single carefully hand-picked hand-written word and its vibration.

Almost everyone my vintage would be applying, but we wouldn’t be the only ones. Goodness knows how many souls we would be from all over the universe and walks of life. Only 10% or thereabouts would go through to the next round. These chances only came around once in a blue moon and everybody wanted to go through, particularly this time. I had still to meet a soul who wanted to merely be a spectator.

I wanted to take my time so I could try and remember all I had learnt in all those other lifetimes. Stay calm and relaxed. Let go of any attempts to impress or to compete as they never work. Be authentic. And if there was one thing about this letter, it had to absolutely show authenticity, sincerity and truth. I had to remember to let go of certain thoughts. You know the ones that say you are better than or not good enough. It’s your mind and you are in charge of what’s in it. Never mind anyone else. Do your best and trust that what happens is what is meant to happen. Don’t attach to the outcome. The mind does not like that one at all. It is interesting how like Planet Earth it can be in this place at times.

I once heard that the reason human beings want ‟stuff” is because they want to feel the good feelings they have attached to the objects of their desire. Maybe a person who wants a fabulous red Ferrari really wants to feel successful, powerful, attractive. Maybe another wants a man at her side so she can feel wanted, loved and desired. It’s about the feeling, not the ‟stuff” although there would be a lot of hype about manifesting ‟stuff” down there.

What I would personally love this lifetime is to feel truly alive. More than that, I really wanted to experience the entire emotional spectrum. I am clear that I want excitement, joy, happiness, passion, enthusiasm, and a whole lot more together with sadness, anger, rage, jealousy, envy so I can fully appreciate the intensity of them all. I want to fully embrace these emotions and learn where they reside in my body so I can learn about myself. Most of all, I want to feel the same unconditional love I feel here in every cell of my body and I want to share it with everyone else.
So, I sit with the sound of the waterfall crashing behind me and the sun shining through the leaves of the giant beech trees behind, creating wonderful patterns of brilliant light and shade on the ground. I close my eyes and ask for the help I need to write a successful letter. My eyes are starting to gently close. I go deeper and deeper. Time disappears. Mind becomes quiet. And then, through the misty silence, the perfect words to write come to me and I transcribe them.

I take out a sheet of beautiful pale pink paper with a delicate rose on the top left-hand corner. I had studied calligraphy in one of the many classes I had attended. I think one of my traits through all my lives has been an insatiable desire to experience all the things I have been interested in. I am a bit of a ‟life junkie” if you like, so I penned my letter in my best writing with my lucky pen filled with beautiful silver ink. When I had finished, I put it in the matching envelope and stuck on the rose stamp whose design it had taken me weeks to perfect.

Then, I sat with it for a while, infusing it with all the best intentions I could bring to mind. When I felt the process was complete, I walked over to the Dome, where I deposited it in one of the giant golden post-boxes in place this one day for this purpose.

There was excitement in the air, but only the younger souls talked about it. The rest of us knew that talking about the event or speculating on the outcome would drain the energy, weakening it and quite possibly having a negative effect on the outcome. We would know soon enough. Things were run very efficiently here so it wouldn’t take more than a day or two in earth time to know the result.

I didn’t spend much time with the others. It was as if we truly needed time alone to be in a space of expectation. I spent a lot of time by the waterfall. I had my notepad with me and jotted down bits of poetry, and even got a storyline down for a book I would like to write some day if I remembered. The title might be ‟Time to be Me” or something like that. I wondered if I would get to write it soon. The sun shone brightly and it was so warm I got into the water and delighted in the rainbow bath. I was immersed in warm loving energy coming from the pink rose quartzes and turquoises. I was being bathed in love. I was love.

I didn’t have to wait long. It was barely two days later when Peter, who managed the postal system, arrived with a cheeky grin on his face as he held out a pristine white envelope with my name in gold letters. I held my breath as I opened it. It was surprisingly minimalist.

Presence requested tomorrow at the Dome
15 minutes to pitch application
Please Bring this invitation.

Tomorrow? O.M.G. How would I manage to be ready for tomorrow? But I knew I was ready. That’s what the letter had all been about. All I would have to do now was show up and be myself. Tell them why I wanted this so much, what my intentions were. In the words of the invitation, I would have to ‟pitch my application.” I wondered briefly who had chosen those not particularly celestial words.

I remembered to use everything I had learnt in workshops through lifetimes from Toastmasters to drama classes, I started to rehearse my ten-minute pitch until I knew it perfectly.
I remember walking into the dome, sitting in the red velvet gilt Louis XVI chair as I awaited my turn. I remember walking into the main hall and seeing seven beings. They seemed to be filling the air with peace and joy. I felt I knew them all well. The three on the left seemed to be more female. They were softer, gentler somehow and their light was a kind of pale pink. The three on the right seemed to exude an energy that was male. There was a sense of strength and calm coming from them. Their light was more golden. In the centre was an expansive celestial being of blinding white light. This one was far too bright for me. I couldn’t stay upright. I felt myself starting to fall, rather like Alice down the rabbit hole, deeper and deeper down.

This is how I imagine the place we were before we were conceived. I absolutely believe ‟everything happens for a reason” and I have long fantasised about this place. I only know that it is beautiful and although I have read many wonderful stories about people who have had near death experiences, I have not. I have used only what I possess, that is to say my words and the gift of my imagination to create as real a picture as I know how. I have a keen sense, a knowing really, that there is much more to this human experience than what we see and I believe that I would never have come to understand this and see the world as I do now had it not been for the challenges or, more truthfully, the gifts in my life.

One of the challenges for me in writing this book is bringing you with me from this imagined place into my intuited emotional reality as a baby and child. Once again, I am grateful to my soul for the help I received. I truly hope you can take a small leap and come with me.'

*Available from www.bookhubpublishing.com

08/10/2025

The Science of Healing: How Pressurised Oxygen Supercharges the Body. A deep dive into 'Oxygenation is the Solution' by Brian Lynch (Book Hub Publishing, 2022).

In 2015, Irish solicitor Brian Lynch, suffered a catastrophic horse-riding accident. Thrown from his horse, he sustained a fractured pelvis, severe internal injuries, and a fat embolism in his blood. His life was saved by emergency surgery, but his recovery was predicted to be arduous, involving 13 weeks in a wheelchair and a high risk of long-term complications. Yet, Lynch was back on his feet in just seven weeks. His secret weapon was not a new drug or experimental procedure, but a therapy grounded in fundamental physics: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).

Lynch’s personal journey from near-fatal injury to rapid recovery sparked a professional crusade. He saw firsthand how a simple principle; using pressure to super-oxygenate the body’s tissues could produce profound healing effects. He also saw how, in his view, this powerful, proven therapy was being tragically underutilised, tangled in medical groupthink and what he, as a lawyer, viewed as a fundamental misunderstanding of the legal and ethical doctrine of informed consent.

This blog explores the fundamental science behind HBOT as articulated by Lynch. It moves beyond a simple explanation to reveal how this therapy challenges conventional medical practice by leveraging the undeniable laws of physics to break the cycle of injury and inflammation, raising critical questions about why a treatment so effective remains on the margins.

1. The Body's Fundamental Need: Oxygen
To understand HBOT’s power, we must first appreciate the normal journey of oxygen through the body and what happens when that vital supply line is broken.
"How We Breathe"
The process of delivering oxygen from the air to our cells is a marvel of biological engineering:
1. Air is inhaled and travels down the windpipe (trachea).
2. From the trachea, the air moves into progressively smaller airways called bronchi.
3. The journey ends in millions of tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli, where the critical gas exchange occurs.
4. In the alveoli, oxygen passes into the bloodstream and binds to hemoglobin in our red blood cells. This hemoglobin acts as the body's primary oxygen delivery service, carrying it to every tissue and organ.

When The Supply is Cut Off - Hypoxic Tissue Injury
When tissue is damaged, swelling and inflammation inevitably follow. This inflammation can compress blood vessels, restricting the flow of oxygen-rich red blood cells to the very area that needs them most. This leads to a severe shortage of oxygen at a cellular level, a dangerous condition known as hypoxic tissue injury.

This hypoxia creates a devastating feedback loop. The lack of oxygen causes more inflammation, which in turn worsens the hypoxia. As Professor Philip James notes in his analysis, this creates a "vicious cycle where inflammation is tied to hypoxia," a cycle that can stall healing indefinitely and can only be broken by dramatically increasing the oxygen available to the tissue.
A powerful intervention was designed to do precisely that.

2. The Solution Under Pressure: What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
At its core, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a method for delivering a super-dose of oxygen to the body's tissues. During a session, a patient rests inside a specially designed sealed, pressurised chamber, similar to an aircraft cabin.
The therapy has two key components that work in tandem:
• Increased Oxygen Concentration: The patient breathes in a much higher concentration of oxygen than is found in normal air.
• Increased Atmospheric Pressure: This is done while the pressure inside the chamber is carefully increased to a level greater than normal sea-level atmospheric pressure.
While the experience is simple, the principles that make it so profoundly effective are grounded in the fundamental laws of physics.

3. The Physics of Healing: The Gas Laws at Work
The effectiveness of HBOT is a direct application of universal gas laws that are scientifically indisputable. Two laws are particularly critical to understanding how HBOT super-oxygenates the body.
Gas Law
Its Role in Super-Oxygenating the Body

Henry's Law
This law states that the amount of a gas that can be dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the pressure of that gas over the liquid. In HBOT, the "gas" is oxygen and the "liquid" is our blood plasma. By increasing the pressure, HBOT forces significantly more oxygen, up to nearly 10 times the regular supply, to dissolve directly into the plasma, the liquid component of blood.

Graham's Law
This law helps explain diffusion. The massive increase of oxygen dissolved in the plasma creates a much steeper "oxygen gradient" between the blood and the oxygen-starved tissues. This steep gradient drives oxygen to diffuse more rapidly and effectively from the bloodstream into the cells that desperately need it.

The key insight from these laws is revolutionary for healing. Normally, oxygen is almost exclusively carried by hemoglobin in red blood cells. When tissue is swollen, these cells can't fit through the constricted pathways. Under HBOT, oxygen bypasses these blockages by dissolving directly into the blood plasma. This allows life-giving oxygen to reach injured areas that hemoglobin cannot, breaking the cycle of hypoxic injury and inflammation.

Because these effects are based on universal, undeniable laws of physics, advocates like Brian Lynch argue that withholding this option from patients while demanding more randomised controlled trials is ethically and legally problematic. According to Lynch, the science is not in question; the willingness of the medical establishment to apply it is.

4. The Biological Cascade: Igniting the Healing Process
Once this super-dose of oxygen reaches the tissues, it triggers a cascade of powerful biological healing mechanisms.

• Breaking the Inflammatory Cycle
By delivering a massive supply of oxygen directly to the injured site, HBOT reduces swelling and breaks the self-perpetuating cycle of hypoxia and inflammation. This allows normal blood flow to be restored more quickly, accelerating the entire healing process.
• Stimulating New Blood Vessel Growth
A key mechanism, which advocates such as Lynch argue is critical for long-term healing in conditions like radiation injury, is the stimulation of angiogenesis; the formation of new capillaries. The body builds new, permanent pathways for oxygen-rich blood to reach damaged areas, ensuring lasting recovery.

• Fighting Infection
High concentrations of oxygen are lethal to many types of bacteria, particularly anaerobic bacteria, which thrive in low-oxygen environments. HBOT enhances the body's own immune system, helping it fight off serious infections that are otherwise difficult to treat.

• Mobilizing Stem Cells
As cited in the pivotal study "Stem cell mobilisation by hyperbaric oxygen" (Thom S.R., et al.), the therapy triggers the release of the body's own stem cells. These cells are crucial for regeneration, acting as the body's internal repair crew to help rebuild damaged tissue.

The provability of these biological effects forms the backbone of the legal and ethical argument for informed consent in Lynch's book. He hypothesises that if a therapy is known to trigger these fundamental healing mechanisms, a strong case can be made that clinicians have an obligation to disclose it as a reasonable treatment alternative, allowing the patient—not the doctor—to make the final decision.

5. From Theory to Practice: A Global Disparity in Care
The powerful healing mechanisms activated by HBOT make it a valuable treatment for a wide range of conditions rooted in hypoxic tissue injury. However, its application reveals a profound disparity in global standards of care, raising critical questions about why a treatment considered standard in one country is deemed experimental in another. While the U.S. has a conservative list of approved uses, countries like China and Japan have integrated HBOT far more broadly, covering dozens of conditions based on its fundamental biological effects.
• In China, the list of non-emergency indications includes over 40 conditions. Beyond treating non-healing wounds, it is standard care for ischemic cerebrovascular disease (related to stroke), viral encephalitis, and coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.
• In Japan, the therapy is covered by public medical insurance for a range of serious neurological and traumatic injuries, including severe traumatic brain injury and spinal nerve disorder; conditions for which the therapy is not standard in many Western nations.
• In the United States, the Mayo Clinic lists a more focused set of 14 primary uses. This list includes critical emergency conditions like carbon monoxide poisoning and decompression sickness ("the bends"), alongside chronic issues such as non-healing diabetic foot ulcers and delayed radiation injury from cancer therapy.

Lynch goes on to suggest that this global disparity highlights the central controversy surrounding HBOT. If the underlying science of pressure and oxygenation is universal, why isn't the standard of care he asks?

6. Conclusion: A Powerful Tool in Modern Medicine
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy operates on a brilliantly simple and powerful principle: it uses increased pressure to saturate the body’s fluids and tissues with life-giving oxygen.
This process overcomes the primary barrier to healing; hypoxic tissue injury at a cellular level, by bypassing circulatory blockages and flooding damaged areas with the fuel they need to recover. By doing so, it breaks the vicious cycle of inflammation, fights infection, and activates the body's most powerful regenerative tools, including new blood vessel formation and stem cell mobilisation.

HBOT stands both as a remarkable but controversial example of how applying a basic principle of physics can have profound biological effects. It challenges the medical establishment not with a new pill, but with a new paradigm. One that forces a critical conversation about the nature of evidence, the global disparities in care, and the fundamental right of a patient to be informed of every reasonable option to heal.

What are your thoughts?

©Harry Hickey, October 2025.

*'Oxygenation is the Solution. Deaths from Covid-19 and Global Legal Insights for Medical Practice. An Insider’s Perspective' by Brian Lynch was published in late 2022.
Available from www.bookhubpublishing.com and on Amazon.

07/10/2025

A Reader's Brief Guide to the World of 'The Violet Mist' by Siobhán Lally (Book Hub Publishing).

Introduction: Welcome, Brave Adventurer!
Welcome to the ancient and magical lands of the Sidhe! This guide is a friendly map to the key figures you'll encounter on your journey through Siobhan's first book with us, 'The Violet Mist'.
This explainer is designed to introduce the heroes, Gods, and figures of the Sidhe who shape this world, making it feel inviting and easy to step into.

1. Laura Griffin: The Girl Who Answered the Call
Who is Laura? Laura is a quiet, animal-loving 11-year-old who often feels overlooked and overshadowed by her older siblings. She wouldn't even hurt a fly, often going to great lengths to save them from the fly catcher in her kitchen. Her simple life is turned upside down when a single act of kindness; saving Leo, the smallest of triplet lambs who would "surely DIE" without her. This connects her to the ancient, magical world of the Sidhe.

Her Three Defining Traits
• Deeply Compassionate: Laura’s pure-hearted kindness is her defining feature. After 5,000 years of silence, her heartfelt prayer for an animal was the only kind of call the Sidhe Goddess Oonagh, who has a "special grá for young animals," would have answered, making Laura’s compassion the literal key to the story.
• Unexpectedly Brave: Despite feeling lonely and being called a "weirdo" by her siblings, Laura finds the courage to stand up for Leo, face down the 5,000-year-old demon Aoife, and ultimately lead the charge in a battle to save an entire realm.
• Resourceful & Determined: When the fate of the Sidhe is at stake, Laura doesn't hesitate. She uses her mom's laptop to find answers and refuses to give up, even when faced with seemingly impossible odds.

2. Conn: The Swan Prince
Who is Conn? Conn is one of the magical Children of Lir and a prince of the Sidhe. He possesses a dual nature: in his home realm of Tír na n'Óg, he is a handsome young boy, but in the mortal world, he takes the form of a great white swan. He serves as Laura's curious, brave, and slightly mischievous guide, leading her from her familiar world into a parallel Ireland that is, in her words, "like my world in HD."

His Three Defining Traits
• Loyal Friend: Conn shows an immediate and unwavering loyalty to Laura, promising to keep her safe and trusting her completely with the fate of his people.
• Curious & Playful: He is fascinated with the mortal world even if he doesn't quite get the jokes. His playful side shines through in dealing with Laura's school bully, Hannah the Horrible.
• Brave (but a Rule-Breaker): Conn is forbidden from entering the mortal realm but does so anyway, first out of curiosity and then to help Laura. He shows a willingness to risk everything for what is right.

3. Oonagh: The Gentle Queen
Who is Oonagh? Oonagh is the beautiful and powerful Goddess Queen of the Sidhe in Connaught. She travels through the mortal world cloaked in the Féth Fíada (the Violet Mist). The very life force of her people. Her appearance is marked by a golden glow and large emerald eyes with pupils in the shape of a triple spiral, the "mark of the Sidhe."

Her Defining Quality
• Benevolent Power: While she is one of the most powerful leaders of the Sidhe, Oonagh's defining trait is her gentleness and compassion. It is her choice to answer a child's heartfelt prayer for a dying lamb that sets the entire story in motion.
Her Importance to the Story Oonagh is the story’s inciting incident. Her single act of kindness, healing Leo the lamb, is what opens the door between the mortal and Sidhe worlds, making Laura's journey possible. She represents the wisdom, compassion, and magical heart of the Sidhe leadership.
Oonagh rules alongside her proud and powerful husband, the King of Connaught...

4. Finvarra: The Warrior King
Who is Finvarra? Finvarra is the King of Connaught and Oonagh's husband. He is a proud, protective, and powerful Sidhe leader who is also known for being the fiercely competitive captain of his province's hurling team. He is sustained by the Féth Fíada and is dedicated to protecting the realm that depends on it.

His Defining Quality
• Protective & Cautious: Finvarra's first instinct is to protect his wife and his realm from the dangers of the mortal world. His initial skepticism about Oonagh's intervention highlights the serious risks involved, and he invokes prophecy to voice his concern: "when Fintan the Ancient said that the Sidhe would fight side by side with a mortal warrior, I don’t think he was talking about a little girl."

His Importance to the Story Finvarra helps build the world of the Sidhe by representing their leadership, traditions, and fierce pride. His role as a warrior-athlete, especially in the game of hurling, provides a window into the culture and competitive spirit of his people. While Finvarra is a king, all the Sidhe answer to one chief God, a figure of immense power and surprising personality...

5. The Dagda: The Chief God
Who is The Dagda? The Dagda is the chief God and ultimate leader of all the Sidhe. He presents a comical figure; a hefty man wearing a brown tunic that's three sizes too small, but this appearance masterfully hides his immense power and cleverness.

His Dual Nature
• Powerful Architect & Comical Referee: The Dagda is both a brilliant creator and a passionate cultural figure. He is the architect who built the great mounds like Knowth and designed the system for creating the Féth Fíada (the Violet Mist). This incredible power is contrasted with his role as the all-in-one referee for the hurling matches, where he shows his deep and joyful connection to his people's culture.
His Importance to the Story The Dagda is the architect of the Sidhe's survival and the armourer of their victory. His creations are the central pillars of the plot. His magical club, which "can take out 100 men with one blow, but it has the power to revive 100 men on the other end," and his enchanted harp become the critical weapons that arm Laura for the final battle...

©Susan McKenna, October 2025.

07/10/2025

“‘Ag cur dobhar’: Raining torrents, or pouring down floods. ‘Dobhar’ is an old word for water, which gives us the word ‘dobharchú’, an otter (literally, ‘water hound’). Nowadays it more often means a flood or torrent. It can also mean darkness or obscurity.

‘Raiste’: Rain driven furiously by the wind.

‘Bascadh’: a drenching or beating from rain or wind.

‘Báisteach dheannachtach’: Cold, drenching rain. ‘Deannachtach’ means biting, sharp or severe. Lá deannachtach means a bitter, nasty day.”

– from Ninety-Nine Words for Rain (and One for Sun) by Manchán Magan

It seems darkly fitting that the terrible news of Manchán Magan’s passing coincided with the first named storm of the season. We have lost a true conduit of the seemingly arcane and esoteric, a once-in-a-generation communicator of the mysterious; through him we learned how to listen to the land speak.

Manchán’s death leaves a wound in our culture.

07/10/2025

A number of Galway bookshops will host events during Irish Book Week 2025, which runs from October 18 to 25.

07/10/2025

06/10/2025

Good Morning Friends, Wishing Everyone A Wonderful New Day & Week ❤

06/10/2025

Well worth a listen to on an October evening...

Link to Spotify for Podcast:

Link in bio or copy and paste the link below 👇

https://open.spotify.com/episode/02V7EXVmxtMETtKcGgu6Ns?si=V34VlLXrQ_eU7-uViXAjBQ

06/10/2025

Meet Clipper: The Adventurous Hurl

Clipper is not just any hurling stick; he is a cherished treasure, a special gift from Santa, and the dear friend of a young girl named Lucy. Together, they form a perfect team, both on the hurling pitch and in life. This character sketch explores the deep bond between Clipper and Lucy, the unexpected adventure that separated them, and the incredible journey that helped Clipper discover new and surprising things about himself. His story is a charming exploration of identity, demonstrating that one's purpose can be far broader than what it was originally designed for.

1. Clipper and Lucy: A Perfect Team
Before their unexpected separation, the bond between Clipper and Lucy was one of complete and happy harmony. They were a single, joyful unit, perfectly in sync with one another.

Daily Harmony
Clipper and Lucy were inseparable companions, sharing every part of the day. Their connection was so profound that, as the story notes, "Together, they were never alone, forever sound." Their daily life was a blend of practice, play, and quiet comfort.
• Playing Hurling: They played together every single day, honing skills like "jabbing and soloing." During matches, they were a formidable team, always managing to score and making their partnership a true force on the field.
• Training Highlights: For Lucy, training was the "highlight of Lucy’s week," and she would rally her partner with words of encouragement, saying, "Steady on Clipper for we are forwards- sit fast and tight."
• Constant Comfort: Clipper's role extended beyond the pitch. He was a source of constant comfort, snuggled safely under Lucy's arm each night where he was "forever free from harm."
This symbiotic relationship establishes the high emotional stakes of the story, making their eventual separation all the more impactful. Their perfect harmony was about to face an unexpected test when a trip to the ice cream van changed everything.

2. The Unexpected Separation
This section examines the pivotal moment when an exciting treat after the end of the hurling season led to the unfortunate incident that separated the two best friends, beginning a challenging but transformative journey for Clipper.
The Ice Cream Van Incident
What began as a celebration quickly turned into a moment of distress. The sequence of events unfolded rapidly, leaving Clipper lost and alone.
1. A Well-Earned Treat: After the season concluded, an ice cream van arrived to reward the players.
2. Left Behind: In her excitement to order a "99 cone please with sparkling sprinkles," Lucy placed Clipper on the van's shelf and forgot about him.
3. A Silent Departure: While Lucy was lost in her "dreamy, creamy world," the van departed "without a care." No one heard Clipper's desperate call: "Stop! Do not leave me alone."
4. Lost and Alone: As the van sped away, Clipper bounced around inside until he "tumbled out onto the roadway." He was left "dazed and confused," his first thought a worried quiver for his friend: "What of my dear Lucy?"
This accidental separation, born from a moment of childhood joy, serves as the catalyst for Clipper's unexpected journey into independence.

3. An Adventure of New Skills and Friendships
Though he missed Lucy terribly, Clipper's solo journey taught him that he could be much more than just a hurl. Through a series of surprising encounters, he learned new skills, made new friends, and discovered a new sense of confidence. Each new role—from a tool for a farmer to a playmate for animals—chipped away at his singular identity as "Lucy's hurl" and built a new, more resilient sense of self.

'Clipper The Hurl's Amazing Adventure' by Katherine Scanlon is available to purchase from our website at www.bookhubpublishing.com and from selected bookstores and on Amazon.