Jason Byrne is 17. With his leaving cert under his belt but no idea what to do next, who better to ask for advice than his dad, Paddy? There’s a (very) short stint studying accountancy (he was asked to leave); a FÁS course with juvenile offenders to become a waiter that leads to an apprenticeship in Jury’s (he was the only one not in prison), and a job in a lighting warehouse (it ended with a collapsed lung). But no matter what the problem, Paddy Byrne is always ready with a wise word: ‘Sure, that’s life, son. Just don't tell your mother.’

This is not just a memoir. It is a celebration of a generation, a celebration of life and of Jason’s wonderful relationship with his dad, Paddy Byrne – the man who never gave a b*llix.