Celebrated Galway artist Joe Boske and local poet Michael Quinn are set to release Rathgar Odyssey, a limited-edition booklet pairing Boske’s iconic prints with Quinn’s evocative poem about a journey through Rathgar and memories of Galway.

Available exclusively at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop beginning November 20th, the booklet showcases a dozen of Boske’s beloved Galway-themed line drawings, alongside Quinn’s poetic musings on work, pints at Dublin’s 108 pub, and sundry other topics.

A renowned figure in Galway’s arts scene, Boske’s surreal, nostalgic prints have become cherished pieces of local culture, especially for those who have experienced the Galway Arts Festival or visited Tigh Neachtain, where his work decorates the walls.

Quinn’s poem brings an intimate narrative to Boske’s illustrations, leading readers through reflections of daily life and homecoming.

Poet, writer and musician Gerry Hamberry was fulsome in his praise for the project.

“In this stunningly attractive and highly amusing publication that extraordinary talent that is the artist Joe Boske teams up with Michael Quinn, wordsmith extraordinaire, to produce a piece of work that is both hugely engaging and visually spectacular,” he said.

“Michael Quinn weaves a humorous and witty tale that combines gulping pints in a Rathgar pub with nods and winks to some of literature’s giants including Joyce, Wilde, Blake and Grey’s Elegy to mention but a few, while Joe Boske’s art continues to reveal his genius for capturing the real and the surreal in a single frame.

“Leafing through the pages of this fine publication is to join these two great talents on an entertaining ramble through the garden of artistic and poetic delights.”

The publication, limited to 1,000 signed copies, has already seen strong demand, with over 250 copies pre-ordered. Interested readers are encouraged to reserve a copy through Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop in-store or online at www.charliebyrne.ie.

Rathgar Odyssey will launch at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop at 6pm next Wednesday, November 27, with the authors in attendance.

Joe Boske has spent over forty years shaping the visual landscape of Ireland’s arts scene with his whimsical, surreal designs for events like the Galway Arts Festival, Kinvara’s Cuckoo Fleadh, and more. His posters have become collector’s items and are beloved by locals and visitors alike.

Michael Quinn, retired and based in Galway, penned Rathgar Odyssey as part of a workshop led by the late Galway poet Kevin Higgins.

Currently working on his debut poetry collection, set to release through Little Gull Publishing in 2025, Quinn’s collaboration with Boske marks a new chapter in Connemara-based publishing.

Pictured: New book….Joe Boske.