Stories from the Heart of Ireland: 61 Stories of Inspiration and Hope

61 Stories of Inspiration and Hope

Who would have known that someone with an eating disorder could turn his life around to become a Michelin-starred chef, or that the loss of their son would lead to an Irish couple being responsible for saving thousands of lives in the US?

In Stories from the Heart of Ireland fifty-eight different writers from around the country tell their stories of hope and inspiration. Billionaire John Magnier shares the simple truth of what determines the quality of our lives, Tommy Fleming shows that no matter how badly things go wrong, there is always a way back, and multi-million-selling author Cathy Kelly shares a very personal story of love and family.

Inspired by his granddaughter Niamh, who was given the gift of a lifetime – a trip to Lapland to meet the real Father Christmas – by Make-A-Wish, Brendan Power has brought together sixty-one stories from well-known figures such as Joe Duffy, Adi Roche and Oliver Sears, to raise funds to help other children with life-threatening conditions, and to honour Niamh’s memory.

Some of these stories will bring a tear to your eye and others will bring a smile to your lips, but they all provide a measure of inspiration.

Since its launch in 1992, Make-A-Wish Ireland has granted over three thousand wishes and they get more and more requests every year. They rely entirely on the generosity of the public for their funds and this book is one way in which everybody can help. All royalties from the sale of this book will go to Make-A-Wish Ireland.

Brendan Power was a writer and radio presenter in Ireland and abroad for many years until his retirement in 2012. He is a founder and past president of the Professional Speakers Association and for many years was seen as one of Europe’s leading motivational speakers. He is the author of two books, Power Selling and Heroes of the Helen Blake, and editor of From the Heart of Ireland, an edited collection of stories published in 2003.