“Kept so clear and seemingly simple, its skill with what goes unsaid makes it unforgettable. What a beauty.”
Ali Smith on Pascal O’Loughlin’s Two Tickets for the Musical

“On a housing estate called ClonduffSiberia deep in the middle of nowhere really, the body of a horse named RottingDead lies buried in the garden of a house that no family has moved into yet. The body of this horse does not have the head attached but it does have a heart, and its heart is lonely and filled with longing.”

John and his Mother, grieving for his Father, move to ClonduffSiberia. John meets Angela at a youth club disco and she introduces him to kissing, Bowie and cigarettes. Suddenly a girl goes missing and the answer seems to lie in the grown-up world of love and loss John is struggling to navigate.

Pursued by, vivid ghosts, anxious visions and ne’er-do-wells, John takes us with him as he finds himself, in the wrong place.

Praise for Now Legwarmers

“A pure and unalloyed delight. O’Loughlin’s prose, plain yet poetic, is a perfect match for a delightful coming-of-age novel.  I laughed silently to myself, and constantly.” – David Collard, The Idler

“The story is quietly devastating in its portrayal of small town life and the invisible lacerations caused by the expectations of family. It is an impressively told reminder that young people think for themselves. A poignant, arresting and satisfyingly original read.” – Jackie Law

About the Author

Pascal O’Loughlin was born in Dublin, moved to London in the 1980s, and became a Librarian at the National Poetry Library. He won the Chroma Queer Short Story Competition in 2006, judged by Ali Smith and Michael Arditti. His published poems, stories, zines and pamphlets include Walking Naked, Chocoholochismo, RWF/RAF (with Sarah Crewe) and YUKIKO. Now Legwarmers is his debut novel.