Paulyn Marrinan Quinn SC, who served as Ireland’s first-ever Insurance Ombudsman and later as Ireland’s first-ever Ombudsman for the Defence Forces, published What Does Law Mean, Mumu? this week.

The book follows a character called Mumu, who guides a group of young people on an adventure-filled tour of Dublin, using the cityscape to explain various aspects of the law.

Mumu introduces her young charges to renowned legal concepts and cases, including those of ‘the snail in the ginger beer’ and the fictional ‘man on the Clapham omnibus’, and uses ground-breaking historical events such as the Great Famine to illustrate the relationship of law to their daily lives.

“People might think that the law is too complex a topic to engage young people,” said Ms Quinn. “But, since they were very young, my own grandchildren have asked me questions about how the law works, how police officers behave, how judgements are made on people who commit crimes, and so on – as my own children had done before them.

“My grandchildren call me ‘Mumu’, and it was they who inspired me to write this book.”

Ms Quinn finished the book towards the end of 2018 and decided to self-publish it during the COVID-19 lockdown. It is now available from online retailers as well as bookshops throughout Ireland, including a bookshop in the Four Courts.

“I recorded the audio version of the book itself, due to be available on Audible soon, and I also recorded an accompanying podcast series,” Ms Quinn added. “This work helped me get through the challenges of recent months, and the loneliness of lockdown.”