Paul McVeigh launches The 32: An Anthology of Irish Working Class Voices on crowdfunding publisher

Following the success of Kit de Waal's Common People: An Anthology of Working Class Writers, Belfast author Paul McVeigh has announced the launch of The 32: An Anthology of Irish Working Class Voices on Unbound – the world's first crowdfunding publisher.

Bringing together 16 published writers and 16 new voices to share their experiences of being working class in Ireland, The 32 will feature essays from Kevin Barry, Lisa McInerney, Roddy Doyle, Emma Dabiri, Senator Lynne Ruane, Dermot Bolger, among many others.

Award-winning author Paul McVeigh, who featured in Kit de Waal's Common People is set to edit the anthology.

"Too often, working class writers find that the hurdles they have to leap are higher and harder to cross than for writers from more affluent backgrounds," states the project's synopsis. "The 32 will see writers who have made that leap reach back to give a helping hand to those coming up behind.

"We read because we want to experience lives and emotions beyond our own, to learn, to see with others’ eyes – without new working class voices, without the vital reflection of real lives, or role models for working class readers and writers, literature will be poorer. We will all be poorer."

The 32 is currently accepting pledges through Unbound, in order to make the anthology a reality. A number of different reward levels are available, including a signed paperback for €30, and a mentoring session with McVeigh or de Waal in addition to a signed paperback for €175.

See the full list of writers who have already contributed below:

Claire Allan
Kevin Barry
Dermot Bolger
June Caldwell
Emma Dabiri
Martin Doyle
Roddy Doyle
Rosaleen McDonagh
Lisa McInerney
Dave Lordan
Danielle McLaughlin
Eoin McNamee
Melatu Uche Okorie
Senator Lynne Ruane
Rick O’Shea
Dr Michael Pierse