The 87-year-old Australian won the Booker Prize for Schindler’s Ark, which was adapted for the screen as the multi-Oscar winning Schindler’s List. He’s in Ireland to carry out research on a novel based on the 1895 hanging of John Twiss from Cordal, Castleisland. Twiss was hanged for the murder of James Donovan who was an agent for landlords. Thomas took part in a question-and-answers session at the River Island Hotel, Castleisland last Friday night. Afterwards, he met with the audience. One man brought him a book to sign for his six-month-old granddaughter. Treasa Murphy asked Thomas what did requests like that mean to him?