Damian Corless

Damian Corless writes for a living. Previous books include ‘Loose Talk: the GUBU File’, the Aslan biography ‘Crazy World', and 'Pulp Friction: Irish Feuds & Public Ructions’. A former editor of In Dublin, Magill and Ligger, he has written television comedy for RTE and the BBC.

Gubu Nation, Damien’s first Merlin publication, offers a dictionary definition of Gubu as an acronym for Grotesque, Unbelievable, Bizarre and Unprecedented. The acronym was created by Labour TD, Conor Cruise O'Brien, from the phrase used by then Taoiseach Charles Haughey to describe the events that saw murderer Malcolm Macarthur arrested at the residence of the then Attorney General in 1982.

Although adamant that the book is just for laughs, the history graduate concedes that there is a deeper theme to his writing. “I like to think of the book as good history,” he says. “It might be pulp history, but it is good history. I certainly didn't need to twist any facts to make it funny or get a joke in.”

Gubu Nation's 311 pages are filled with all manner of uniquely Irish weirdoes, gobdaws, sleeveens, gombeens and yahoos. It's gleefully scabrous, deftly written, and very, very funny. Damian’s next Merlin title will be released this spring 2007.