AN IRISH BOOK OF LIVING AND DYING

“this book has really cemented how important the conversation should be with those that we love on how we wish to be remembered – not by wealth or in theory but through the essence of who we are.”

“May its humour and deft recollection of 50 years of being, encourage all of us to take the chance to think about our own Legacy and how we might tell our own story because there are some things ‘we do take with us’ that others might like to know. “

“Donal Griffin is a lawyer who has very effectively helped my clients with succession advice. Donal has shared a very personal story which is captivating. It has encouraged me to continue to strive to be a good ancestor …. to see past the traditional “estate planning” approach to see the bigger picture on their legacy. Too many people discount the value of documenting good family “history telling” to record a family’s legacy, take the opportunity to do it! “

“An inspirational memoir that taps into a life steeped in Irish culture and tradition with such self-deprecating humour that will have you smiling and giggling along the way. Donal’s life journey and lessons are captured not only with comic amusement but with brutal honesty. A real artform. He leaves Ireland in search of the true self, only to return to the true self that was always there. Shedding our cultural and family conditioning requires awareness and growth. Highly recommended.”

“In this wonderful book, Donal immerses us in what he describes as the Irish ‘condition’ through his witty discussions of growing up in Ireland: parenting Irish-style; Joycean feasts for dinner; custard cream biscuits; glimpses of summer; Beckett on a bus. And of course death and dying as framing everything … with deep and tender insights into family relationships, especially father-son relationships; with special and interesting references to our great Irish literary heroes. This book is truly a wonderful odyssey in the style of great Irish writing”.

“Family businesses need to think, talk and write down their succession plan. In this book, succession specialist Donal Griffin has done those things for his family. He has also done this to inspire other families by celebrating an ordinary story, learning from experience and sharing his learnings. I encourage all family businesses to do the same. It was also a good read with some universal truths, even though the story is very Irish in many ways.”

“Beautifully written with true Irish literary style, this book tells us a lot more about legacy and succession than one would normally learn from a “professional”. The challenges of power dynamics in families, of inheriting and passing on wealth and values – these are the themes of all great art and literature. Donal knows this, and his insight is worth discovering.”

“Griffin has written this memoir as a gift for his young son. It tells of Griffin’s upbringing in 1970s and 80s Ireland and the route, personal, emotional, professional, that took him to the other side of the world. An aperture into Irish social history during a time of rapid transformation, this reflection on how we live, die and talk to one another is laden with humour, erudition, honesty and generous allusions to the Irish literary tradition.”

“In the real estate business, there is a well worn phrase they use when talking about deciding the value of a property and it is “location, location, location”. If you needed a similar phrase for family business and indeed all families, it would be “communication, communication, communication”. Well, Donal, your book contributes hugely to that mantra”.

“We can learn from personal stories, and be inspired by them. This memoir is about Irish culture, but the themes are universal and the telling is both inspiring and riveting.”

“Maybe writing about actual events, in the first person, if not from Ireland and before you turned seventy, was BAD?”