My Greystones: Simon Fitzmaurice

23SEPT15

t would be too easy to go full Hollywood on Simon Fitzmaurice.

One of life’s great over-achievers, this Greystones native is a filmmaker, an author, an explorer, a wit, a self-confessed “stubborn bastard” and, most impressive of all, a father of five. And all that’s just before lunch.

It’s a list that would leave most people reaching for the smelling salts, but the fact that the bould Simon did much of this whilst confined to a wheelchair, having been diagnosed with ALA (the Motor Neuron Disease better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) in 2008, makes such a CV nothing short of remarkable. Vering on plain showing off.

Back in 2008, Simon was given just four years to live, but the man clearly had other plans. Such as making writing and directing a feature film. And writing a book all about kicking against the needle pricks. The diagnosis may have been, as he told Variety earlier this month, “a private earthquake for me and my family”, but there was never any doubt that Fitzmaurice was not interested in going gently into that good night.

Is it any wonder then that when it came to the making of Simon’s feature film debut, My Name Is Emily, the likes of Colin Farrell, Sam Neil and Alan Rickman were quick to lend their support? Shot last year – with an infamous nude scene being filmed one cold September’s morn on Greystones South Beach – My Name Is Emily is currently wooing festival audiences, having premiered as the Opening Film at the Galway Film Fleadh in July, and just this month, playing as part of the Discovery Section of the Toronto Film Festival.

Communicating through eye-gaze technology, Fitzmaurice has also written his memoir, It’s Not Yet Dark, recounting not only the making of My Name Is Emily but also his award-winning short films, Full Circle (2003) and The Sound Of People (2007), travelling the world (including an expedition in the Himalayas), life with MND, and, of course, the really important stuff – such as growing up in Greystones, having kids, and, top of the list, meeting his lovely wife, Ruth. A fellow artist, Ruth is a novelist.

And through it all, that stubborn bastard gene just keeps on kicking, our boy recognising all the good things that make life worth living.

When Fitzmaurice says that his love for life is “undimmed, unbowed, unbroken”, it makes you realise just how important it is that we use our time well. And to have fun.

You can grab a copy of Simon’s memoir, It’s Not Yet Dark, on Amazon here, find out more about My Name Is Emily right about here., and read out obit here.