A Star Far Away: Letters to Christy by Patricia O'Neill
Christy O'Neill drowned in Kilmore Quay, County Wexford on the 9th of July, 1998. He was 12 years old. Trying to cope with the loss of her son, his mother Patricia wrote a series of letters to him, letters which reflect her emotional turmoil with honesty, bravery and moving sincerity. In these letters, Patricia O'Neill explores her grief with tenderness, humour and anger. Poignant memories of happier times mingle with tributes to her beamish boy, a dancer and poet whose loss was almost to much to bear. She shares her most private thoughts and experiences with her son, including the tragedies, the grief and the happiness that her family and friends experience during the months that follow Christy's loss. This book offers the reader an insight into the anatomy of grief, tracing the progress of the grieving process from utter despair to growing faith and hope for the future.