Local Author Writes Men’s Health Crime Thriller Writer Gerry Mullins’ striking new book is set in Dublin 8, and features gang violence, drug trafficking, and an insightful look at men’s issues.
by Ethan Webber
Gerry Mullins and Ethan discuss testosterone, and what it means to be “manly”. Photo by Anne Woetzel
W
hen I first moved to Dublin 8, I had the immediate impression that it was a quiet, sleepy area. There seemed to be none of the excitement or intrigue one would commonly associate with urban neighborhoods. One local author, however, who has lived in Dublin 8 for 16 years, sees our area quite differently. Gerry Mullins wrote a book published in 2020, called Testosterone Dublin 8. His novel tells the fictional story of Jimmy Fyffe, whose life and career begin to fall apart as he suffers from having low levels of testosterone. After some testosterone boosting treatments, Jimmy becomes a commanding alpha male, and begins down the path of a drug kingpin, dealing cocaine and violently feuding with gangs and police. The story takes place within Dublin 8, and deals with a range of themes: mental health issues, crime, drug use, and men’s health. Upon discovering this book, I was fascinated. Hoping to have a conversation with the author,
26
I reached out to Liberties Press, and was soon on my way to interview Gerry and learn his story. I arrived at Gerry’s home, where he issued me a quick, friendly greeting, and brought me inside. As my photographer and I set up for the interview, Gerry asked us about where we came from, cracked jokes, told us about his honeymoon in Germany, and time spent living in San Francisco working in finance. Lively, attentive, and visibly in very good shape, Gerry Mullins is the last man you would look at and think “low testosterone”. However, his story would soon prove how far he had come. Together, we sat at a table in his spacious, sunlit living room to discuss the book, and the life of the man behind it. “I was flabby, tired, and depressed.”, Gerry explains, resting his chin in his hand as he speaks. Gerry had gotten the idea to write a story centered around a man’s struggle with low testos-
