Dear Sebastian

Dear Sebastian is a book published by Hodder Headline Ireland. It takes the form of a collection of letters from notable people in Irish society to a young boy who lost his father to cancer.

The book's editor was Jordan Ferguson from Glounthaune, County Cork. In March 2008, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and told he had only months to live. He had one son, Sebastian, who was aged nine when his father died on June 27, 2008, at the age of 35. Ferguson decided to write a letter to Sebastian with advice to help him when he was growing up. But the father of one had the idea to extend the idea. He gathered together letters from Irish people - writers, politicians, artists, clergy, sports stars, musicians and business people - all of whom have succeeded in life. That was how 'Dear Sebastian' came about. Ferguson died before completing the book. In his final days, he asked his mother Christine to finish it.

The letters which make up the book came from well-known names including Brian Cowen, Tony O'Reilly, Christy Moore, John Waters, Pat Kenny, Brian O'Driscoll, Peter Sutherland, Ronan O'Gara, John Magnier, Mary Harney, Daniel O'Donnell, Christy O'Connor Jnr, Patrick Kielty, JP McManus, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Michael Smurfit, Eddie Hobbs, Shay Given, Darina Allen, Gay Byrne, Dermot Desmond and many more.

Publication

Dear Sebastian ISBN 978-0-340-99480-1