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    Ireland: A Novel
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    Ireland: A Novel
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    Ireland: A Novel
    Ebook699 pages13 hours

    Ireland: A Novel

    By Frank Delaney

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    “Dramatic, adventurous, heroic, romantic. . . these historical chronicles, legends, myths, tall tales and fables, featuring warriors, kings, monks, explorers and clever common folk, imaginatively tell the history of Ireland.”  — Philadelphia Inquirer

    This New York Times bestselling epic is an unforgettable tour de force that marries the intimate, passionate texture of the Irish spirit with a historical scope that is sweeping and resplendent. Storyteller extraordinaire Frank Delaney takes his readers on a journey through the history of Ireland, stopping along the way to evoke the dramatic events and personalities so critical to shaping the Irish experience.

    In the winter of 1951, a storyteller, the last practitioner of an honored, centuries-old tradition, arrives at the home of nine-year-old Ronan O'Mara in the Irish countryside. For three wonderful evenings, the old gentleman enthralls his assembled local audience with narratives of foolish kings, fabled saints, and Ireland's enduring accomplishments before moving on. But these nights change young Ronan forever, setting him on a years-long pursuit of the elusive, itinerant storyteller and the glorious tales that are no less than the saga of his tenacious and extraordinary isle.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 13, 2009
    ISBN9780061829772
    Author

    Frank Delaney

    Frank Delaney was born in Tipperary, Ireland. A career in broadcasting earned him fame across the United Kingdom. A judge for the Booker Prize, several of his nonfiction books were bestsellers in the UK, and he writes frequently for American and British publications. He now lives with his wife, Diane Meier, in New York and Connecticut. Ireland is his first novel to be published in the United States.

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    Reviews for Ireland

    4/5

    33 ratings24 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This was a great read.

      It started out and was very interesting, to the point I wanted to sit and read for hours. Then it bogged down, so I let it set. I then came back and started to read in smaller sections. That did the trick and I was captivated.

      A young Irish boy, Ronan O'Mara, is captivated by an itinerant Storyteller who visits his home in the 1950s. This gentleman makes his living telling stories of Ireland and its rich history in a manner that brings the events to life and enthralls the listeners. In return he is given bed and board for a couple of nights and then moves on, walking the roads of Ireland.

      When the Storyteller is abruptly told to leave the house for some unknown reason, Ronan is devastated and swears to eventually fine and reconnect with the Storyteller. Ronan's search and growing into an adult and the many paths he travels in his search, is the main thread of this story. Along the way he learns much about Ireland's history, his passion and the secrets behind that fatefull night.

      It is a book that will stay with you for quite a while and give you a bigger picture of what Ireland is. Beautiful.
    • 5/5
      Very enjoyable tales of Celtic History told within a novel of a young boy, Ronan, who becomes so enamored of a seanchai that entered their village and spent a few nights sharing his stories that he devotes himself to finding the Storyteller.
    • 3/5
      Delaney tells the story of his colorful country by utilizing the oft told and retold myths, legends and anecdotes. After spending time in Ireland I enjoyed the book as it resonated with much of what I heard and experienced in the country, not the big cities, but the country where many still cling to their mythology and folklore. The Irish, of which I am one, have a special relationship with the past and in Delaney’s book he searches for that past, trying to piece it together, ultimately piecing together the story of his own 1950’s family and their secrets. I enjoyed the read, the story is okay, it’s the romp with dialect and lore that made this book enjoyable. Not for everyone. But if your Irish, it’s a must read.
    • 4/5
      Frank Delaney spins a wonderful yarn about Ireland. The story consists of a series of stories with a surprise ending. I liked reading as well as listening to it. Delaney has a lovely voice, very Irish.
    • 5/5
      What a pleasure to read! I've read quite a few historical novels set in Ireland from the Tuatha De Danann to the Easter Rebellion and nothing put it all together as well as this. And in such a light and interesting way. Reading this book is like examining the facets which make up a beautiful diamond -- you see little minute parts of a history that gradually comes together in a wonderful story. For example, I've read complete novels about the potato famine. The 3 or 4 page story of the the doctor's anquish examing the potato leaves left me with a clearer feeling of the terror of famine than many complete books have done.At first I wasn't sure I was going to like the chapters alternating between "plot" and "story" but it didn't take too long to begin to see the connection and then I was totally pulled in and found it hard to put the book down. This book is a delight.2005-06-15
    • 3/5
      I've been recommending books to my mom to read since she retired. She read Ireland on her own and then insisted I read it. Really - she's been insisting for close to a year. She kept raving about how good it was. So I felt bad about the unfairness of me giving suggestions but not taking them. Finally, I started working on the book. It's much longer than anything I suggested and my free time is scarce. About halfway through - I mention I'm reading it and I think it's alright, but not great. She replies, "Yes, I thought the book was just alright...but his previous book, Tipperary was really good!" Not falling for it again!Anyway, reason it was just alright - I liked the storytelling aspect and I liked the convoluted "way leads to way" unfolding of the novel. What I didn't like was that the big revelations (one about halfway through the book and one very near the end) seemed pretty obvious way before they were actually stated. So the "aha!" moments were more like, "Yeah, I figured..." moments. Delaney IS a storyteller and his prose is good, so there's that. I can endorse this book as one to read curled up by the fire on a winter's night...enjoyable...but sorry mom, if I ever do read Tipperary, it'll be somewhere down the line. Oh - one thing I really didn't like though - it's really really rare that I don't wince when I read a poem or song within a novel. It's a bit of a pet peeve I guess and Delaney throws one in and I winced. Leave poems to poets or at least to collections of poems unless you can pull it off.
    • 5/5
      Most delightful book! History with magnificent stories.
    • 4/5
      I just finished Ireland-A Novel, by Frank Delaney and I was sorry to see it end. Not that it had a poor ending, quite the contrary, but I will so miss this wonderful family and their friends. This book was a Christmas present from a cousin in England, and he's now my favorite cousin!A story that spans the 1950's through the late '60/early 1970's, Mr Delaney was able to weave the whole history of a great island culture within the pages of this great escape. By writing the story of a storyteller, Mr Delaney gave us not one, but several grand stories. Unlike those who use time travel, never once is the reader lost, merely we are gently transported as if in a dream, only to wake to our own life; or in this case, our main story. Ireland, a land of happy wars and sad love songs, is filled with history and myth; never sure which is which. Mr Delaney bares the soul of the land and does it well, even making the wounds bare able. My only twinge, and it is my own, is that I was left with the feeling that Mr Delaney seems to be no friend of the Catholic Church. I might be wrong, but it was the taste left in my mouth. Other than that, please pick up a copy and enjoy the trip across Ireland, her length and breath, and time.
    • 4/5
      A very interesting read and a must for anyone who loves Ireland. The book alternates every other chapter between the story of a boy growing up in Ireland and finding the mysterious Storyteller who came to his house at the age of 9, and stories that make up the history of Ireland. Some of the stories can get a little dense (especially if you're not too familiar with Irish history), but they're worth it. And the story of Ronan growing up is genuinely intriguing. This is the kind of book that you have to make time to sit down and read--if you don't, it may cross over into that period of "will this ever end?". But trust me, the ending is worth it. I wish I had read it with a book club or for a class; there's really so much to discuss.
    • 5/5
      I began this novel prior to a trip to Ireland with my wife and friends earlier this year (2010). I read some of it while I was there....and finished it when I returned. Delaney is a fantastic writer. He tell the story of a small boy who is mesmerized by the Storyteller, an itinerant man who travels around the countryside telling stories about the history of Ireland. It is fascinating way to learn about the wonderful history, people, and geography of the Emerald Isle. All the while we hear stories by the Storyteller, another plot that unfolds in the life of young Roman O'Mara with an almost predictable ending (at least for some). His life and the life of ther Storyteller become inextricably interwoven. It is one of the most enjoyable reads I have come across. The central characters are engaging, the plot intriguing and believable, and the book -- as I said -- concludes with a satisfactory understanding of the role of "story" in each of our lives.
    • 3/5
      The story of Ronan and his small family is fantastic. The stories of Ireland woven throughout the book are also great. However, I found myself wishing that we weren't skipping around from story to story as much as the author was. It is an excellent book in concept but I didn't find the Storyteller's fables quite as entertaining as all the audience of the book - who were all transfixed by the marvels he spoke of. I felt myself longing to get back to the story of Ronan and his family and felt interrupted and at times annoyed by the return of the story teller and his tales. Overall an enjoyable book but not one that I'm likey to return to in the future.
    • 4/5
      I've come to believe that whatever Frank Delaney novel you read first, becomes your favorite Frank Delaney novel! Mine was Venetia Kelly.Ireland was very enjoyable. No matter how hard I try and how unfair this may be, however, Ireland pales by comparison to Venetia Kelly.
    • 4/5
      Ireland. Frank Delaney. 2008. What a delightful way to learn Irish history! A storyteller appears unexpectedly at young Ronan home in 1951. Ronan is mesmerized by the tales and the teller. The storyteller leaves, and Ronan spends years looking for him. Ronan’s search for the storyteller is is interspersed with legends and stories of Irish history from the beginning to the Easter Uprising and Ronan family history. Delaney has written other novels about Irish history that I plan to read.
    • 5/5
      This book has three parts to it: it is the story of Ronan O'Mara, a history-obsessed only child growing up with his doting father, abrasive mother, and fun-loving aunt in a small town in Ireland. One night, he looks out his window to see a man walking up the path, looking like 'a scarecrow that abandoned his post'. Enter the storyteller.The Storyteller stays for a few days and enchants Ronan, but his mother, Allison, doesn't want the man in her house and kicks him out. Thus begins Ronan's search for the Storyteller wonderful mix of history and fables, lore and fact. We meet St. Patrick, Finn MacCool, Brian Boru, Jonathan Swift and Edmund Spenser among others like Brendan the Navigator. Delaney introduces the reader to the Book of Kells, a fantastical artistic creation of medieval monks.
    • 3/5
      I plucked this book from the "New Fiction" shelf at my library, based purely upon the previous nights' conversation with a friend about her honeymoon in Ireland.This book has three parts to it: it is the story of Ronan O'Mara, a history-obsessed only child growing up with his doting father, abrasive mother, and fun-loving aunt in a small town in Ireland. One night, he looks out his window to see a man walking up the path, looking like "a scarecrow that abandoned his post". Enter the storyteller.Back in the Olde Days, Storytellers would wander the roads of Ireland. Households would take them in and house them for a short time in exchange for evenings filled with wonderous tales of the history and people of Ireland. Ronan had always dreamed of a Storyteller happening upon his house, and when he was nine, his dream came true.The Storyteller stays for a few days and enchants Ronan, but his mother, Allison, doesn't want the man in her house and kicks him out. Thus begins Ronan's search for the Storyteller.This book alternates between the life of Ronan, his family drama and his obsession with finding the storyteller; and the stories that he hears as time goes on. There is an excellent balance between storyline and tale, it doesn't seem at all like Frank Delaney didn't have enough to fill a book so he put in some lore to add a chapter or two. The tales are written as an Old Storyteller would relate them - making it all the more charming and engaging.
    • 3/5
      This was an enjoyable read - what it lacked in characterisation it made up for in the interest of tracing Ireland's history through stories. As an English person I found parts of it quite horrifying, and it made it a lot easier for me to understand how there has been so much hatred generated between Ireland and England. Didn't do anything for my national pride but then I barely had any to begin with.
    • 5/5
      excellent story about a storyteller, I passed on this book for a long time and loved every minute of it when I did read it.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book. I wanted to go to Ireland when I was finished reading it and I was very proud of my Irish roots. There was so much history that I didn't know and the storyline was also interesting. What a unique way to intertwine history with current events. I highly recommend this book.
    • 3/5
      This book is essentially a collection of short stories tied together by the life of the narrator. It tells the story of Ireland from its first inhabitants, to St. Patrick and the Easter Rising, and paints some truly wonderful pictures which stay with you long after you've finished reading. Saying that, however, I did lose interest with the connecting tale of the narrator which contained a couple of terribly predictable plot-twists and struggled to progress with the same ease as the short stories it enveloped.
    • 4/5
      Frank Delaney weaves a masterly tale of Ireland with a multi-layered voice. The main narrator, Ronan O'Meara, tells of his encounters, beginning as a young boy, with a Seanchai ("Shana-key"), a traveling storyteller. Ronan pursues the elusive storyteller across the island. The storyteller relates the history of Ireland in a variety of vignettes. Other narrators fill in the story, such as professor T. Bartlett Ryle. A wonderful mix of history and fables, lore and fact. We meet St. Patrick, Finn MacCool, Brian Boru, Jonathan Swift and Edmund Spenser among others like Brendan the Navigator. Delaney introduces the reader to the Book of Kells, a fantastical artistic creation of medieval monks. Reminiscent of Edward Rutherfurd's recent two-volume Dublin Saga, but the reader feels both more warmth and alienation in Delaney's telling, particularly as Ronan searches to find himself in this world. Most highly recommended, especially for readers with an interest in historical novels or Irish history.
    • 5/5
      I purchased this book in an airport gift shop while I was waiting to catch my plane for my first trip to Ireland. I was standing there trying to find something to read on the flight over, and it just seemed like providence, so I picked it up. Needless to say, I was instantly enchanted by this book!Told alternatively between what is happening "now" and stories from Ireland's vast and rich history, Ireland is a journey of discovery for a boy both about his national heritage as well as his ancestral heritage. Each story is more mesmerizing than the last and will draw you in farther and farther into the history and lore of Ireland. The continuing story of Ronan, the young protagonist of the story and his continuing interaction with the Storyteller keeps the story of what is happening "now" moving forward as well, all the way to an ending that you don't see coming.What was amazing to me is while I was in Ireland, I would read a chapter or 2 each morning, which usually included one of the Storyteller's stories. On two occasions, the story he told in the book related directly to something that I was doing that day (I read about the creation Book of Kells the day we went to Trinity College to view it, and I read about the Easter Uprising the morning that I stopped into the very same Post Office that it occurred in to mail my postcards back home). It was entrancing to me to read something of the history of these items or places and actually be able to look at the same article or walk the same street as the characters in the story.Part history lesson, part mystery, part drama, Ireland is an amazing book that has captured the imaginations of both myself and everyone I have lent my copy too (which is a very well-traveled book now).
    • 4/5
      This is an interesting book, part novel, part history text. It centres around an old fashioned itinerant storyteller and a young boy's lifelong quest to find him again (after he visited once when the boy was young). The characters are fairly well drawn, particularly towards the end as we learn more about them, and the history is interesting. Weaved into the text is probably a couple of dozen real stories from Ireland's history starting in the distant past and progressing towards the modern day. I learned a lot and was well enterained along the way. My favourite story incidentally, was about Brendan the Navigator.
    • 5/5
      I have just finished one of the most amazing books. Ireland: A Novel by Frank Delaney intricately weaves together several tales with Ireland itself fulfilling the role of setting and supporting character. I thoroughly enjoyed not only the plot and originality of the story, but the writing was spectacular in its lush descriptions of ancient and modern day Ireland, as well as the very soil and green (as you've never seen before) grass of the island.The story begins one evening with the visit of an Irish storyteller to the O'Mara household. Ronan, the only child of the house, becomes immediately enthralled with the old man whose station in life is to travel the country telling and retelling the rich history of Ireland. On this first night where we meet the Storyteller we hear the tale of an ancient and awe-inspiring burial site at Newgrange. Ronan hangs on the Storyteller's every word and puts every image and syllable to memory. But Ronan is not the only one who is listening, several townspeople have filled the O'Mara's sitting room to hear the magical tales and so it goes for three evenings.The morning following the Storyteller's tale about St. Patrick, Ronan's mother has a falling out with the visitor over accused blasphemy. She asks him to leave her household at once - without saying goodbye to Ronan. His departure sets into motion a journey by the then 9-year-old boy that lasts well into his adulthood. Ronan's journey brings him to many corners of the Emerald Isle during his life, coast to coast, in search of the Storyteller. Along the way he learns the history of his beloved country, even more about the love the Irish people have for a good tale and the people who tell them and most of all, Ronan learns about his own family heritage and where he comes from.While the story of Ronan's journey drives the story forward, the tales that we hear told by the Storyteller and his friends are like a separate storyline altogether. We learn of kings and queens, Viking battles, English occupation, the Great Hunger that drove so many millions to emigrate and several more millions to the grave, and of course, the Easter Uprising of 1916 that led to England retreating from Dublin and giving up all but the very Northern most part of the island. The history is rich, the language like music and I can still hear the voice of the Storyteller echoing in my head as he told of the bullets breaking windows and the images of death permanently burned into his eyes on that bloody, Easter holiday weekend.I have completely fallen in love with this book. Not only is the story compelling, but the way in which Delaney connects each character with history and illustrates how each person is somehow connected to his neighbor is amazing. But most amazing of all is that by the time you get to the end of the book (and it is a lengthy one) the resolution leads you to recall all that you have read from page one. Each event depends upon all of the events that precede it, both in history and in the novel, and Delaney seamlessly constructs this intricate web without one misstep.Delaney writes not only a wonderful "oral" history of his land, but provides the reader with one of the most human stories I've read in quite some time. Ireland: A Novel has been added, with great pleasure, to my personal Top Five Best Novels list and I believe, if you give it the time it deserves, you will be greatly impressed as well.
    • 4/5
      Reading this book made me realize just how much I don't know about the history of Ireland. It is NOT a history book though. It's emphasis is on folk tales. Overall, a good read, but the big secrets that are revealed in the book are ones the reader will have figured out on their own. Still, a very interesting read.