IRISH writer Tom McAndrew, whose debut novel features a detective battling failing eyesight, has spoken about how his own visual impairment inspired the character and ultimately led to a three-book deal with a US publisher.

He said: “It was interesting working with an American publisher because you get to see how we Irish have a very unique vocabulary.

They found some of the words we use hilarious. Like how we use the word ‘banjaxed’ to mean that something is basically broken beyond repair—for example, ‘My car is banjaxed.’ Or ‘eejit’—he or she is an ‘awful eejit’ or fool (or even a gobshite!).

Another favourite phrase is ‘Will you cop yourself on?’ or, as they might say in America, ‘Get a grip!’ I also found Americans to be particularly interested in hearing about the Irish landscape: the barren boglands, the rugged cliffs of the coastline, and the ancient stone burial chambers or dolmens dotting the Irish countryside, which........

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