The Delegation by Michael Moloney
Suggested Questions for Book Clubs/Reading Groups
1 Kennedy: Tom Kennedy, the private secretary, has decided to
swallow his pride in favour of getting promotion. Have you
ever seen similar situations in the workplace or generally. Or
experienced a similar situation yourself.
2 Cahill: Like all the characters, Senator Cahill has an agenda.
How consistent is his agenda with other aspects of his
behaviour?
3 Mulligan: Mulligan appears to have an enormous capacity to
hurt people around him: his wife, his children, the reputation of
the Department, his driver in Zambia. To what extent is he
redeemed by his behaviour. Is he a realistic character?
Why did Mulligan sack his Zambian driver, Peter Sithole?
4 Patricia Lynch: of the three returning to Ireland, Patricia has
lost most. What regrets will she have? Will she regret waiting
and searching for her lover? Not doing enough at the garden
party/in Zimbabwe?
5 Did the Irishman in Zimbabwe, Moriarty, have any role to play
in Cahill’s murder?
At what stage did you start to have an inkling as to which Irish
person ends up in the body bag?
6 Did you accept Morgan Nkomo’s version of events to Patricia:
i.e. that he did not know of his girlfriend’s pregnancy?
7 What do you think might have happened to the other three
members of the delegation on their return to Ireland.
8 Is the treatment of black and white issues dealt with evenly?
Has reading The Delegation increased your interest in what is
happening in Zimbabwe today?