Dear Cathy ... Love, Mary : The Year We Grew Up - Tender, Funny and Revealing Letters from 1980s Ireland – Conlon Catherine (2015)

Poignant, funny and highly readable. Would make a wonderful present.' Sue Leonard, Examiner 'A real snapshot in time ...a celebration of female friendship ...fantastic - such a good read' Irish Times Women's Podcast 'Engaging ...tender and true and spiced with wit and no little wisdom' RTE Guide 'Heart-warming ...nostalgic ...the letters brim over with the kind of humour and honest reflection that only best friends exchange' Irish Independent 'I highly recommend this unusual and fantastic book. It's a great trip down memory lane.' Librarian Lavender 'Isn't it great, Cathy, being where we are (age-wise I mean)? I really enjoy being 18 cos you have a degree of independence and yet you can act the gom if you want cos we're not "all growed up" yet.' 'I don't know if I agree about it being great being 18. I'm kinda apprehensive, waiting for "it all" to come. I think 22-23'd be better. Then you'd be sophisticated and knowledgeable ...' It's the era of Dynasty, Murphy's Micro Quiz-M and MT-USA on the telly, Kajagoogoo, Culture Club and Chris de Burgh in the charts. And also a time of mass emigration and creeping social change. In 1983 in Carrick-on-Suir two 18-year-olds take tentative…