Ferenji

Ferenji - stories from the field by Helena Mulkerns, is the second edition of this title, previously published by Doire Press. This debut from the author is a themed short fiction collection set among civilians in conflict and post-conflict zones. From ancient Arabic, the term Ferenji means 'foreigners' and exists today in countries from Ethiopia to Thailand. The author herself is a former journalist and civiian peacekeeper, who spent ten years 'in the field' as a press officer and photographer in Central America, Africa and Asia.Ferenji depicts life in the field with pathos, dark field humour and satire, lending a passionate civilian voice to contemporary post-conflict literature. In 'A Child Called Peace', two young Irish peacekeepers find a child dying in a minefield. In 'Blood and Bone' a war photographer is haunted by the mage of a refugee. The title story, 'Ferenji' pits a lone aid worker against a bureaucratic system and 'Operation Cat Lift' is an allegory for our times."e;Dogs"e;, which explores how sexism can go beyond culture and borders, was shortlisted for the Bord Gais Irish Book Awards 2017, in the category of "e;Short Story of the Year"e;.