In the Irish Goodbye, his latest fiction offering, Hawkins has drawn heavily on his youth growing up in Albany, New York, an Irish-Democratic stronghold where machine boss Dan O'Connell ruled for over twenty-five years. This bittersweet coming-of-age tale harkens back to the mean streets of Albany so eloquently penned by William Kennedy. The protagonist, Brian Reilly, maturing from childhood to adolescence, passes through a tumultuous period of disillusionment, betrayal, and finally redemption. His beliefs and trust are reaffirmed by a crippled outcast who saves his life and teaches him to look below the surface of things. Overcoming multiple losses and setbacks Brian achieves manhood.
