"Ireland"
Author Frank Delaney makes you want to curl up with a cup of tea and
picture yourself in the Irish countryside- 1950's..... A storyteller, whose identity remains a mystery until the very end of the
book, wanders the countryside- telling animated tales of Ireland's history,
mixed with a bit of imagination and blarney. He intrigues his audience, who are spellbound for the hours that it takes to complete his tale.....
subjects vary from battles to saints to how things were named or
discovered....much of the history is factual and much of the entertainment
lies in the added myths and "inside stories".
In return, the itinerant storyteller is given hot food and drink and a place to
sleep ( often in the barn). Not an easy life- walking from town to town, hoping
to find a home that is hospitable, and then performing his heart out. Ronan O'Mara is a nine year old boy, who is captivated by the storyteller, when he
visits the O'Mara home for 3 nights. The boy doesn't move a muscle for fear of breaking
the spell of the story.....he lies awake at night recalling the stories....he is deeply
saddened when the storyteller hits the road.
Ronan is so drawn to the storyteller's tales and lifestyle, that it becomes his personal mission to find the storyteller again and learn the trade.
Years go by....Ronan seems to have many close encounters, but always
just misses the old storyteller. Neighbors claim "sightings", but always
a few days or weeks before. Fast forward to Ronan's college years....he is called home suddenly, as his
father is gravely ill. Sadly, Mr O'Mara dies, and who should appear at the funeral
but the old storyteller! Ronan gets to talk to him briefly, but the crowd gathers
round and the storyteller disappears down the road, once again. Why the obsession? Why are neighbors and family members sending Ronan
on wild goose chases? Where does the magic of the stories come from?
Read this charming book and find out!
Each chapter was delightful( and often informative- relaying Irish history).
It's a lengthy book of 550 pages, but you can easily pick it up, read a chapter,
and set it down to be continued the next night. Sent from my iPad
picture yourself in the Irish countryside- 1950's..... A storyteller, whose identity remains a mystery until the very end of the
book, wanders the countryside- telling animated tales of Ireland's history,
mixed with a bit of imagination and blarney. He intrigues his audience, who are spellbound for the hours that it takes to complete his tale.....
subjects vary from battles to saints to how things were named or
discovered....much of the history is factual and much of the entertainment
lies in the added myths and "inside stories".
In return, the itinerant storyteller is given hot food and drink and a place to
sleep ( often in the barn). Not an easy life- walking from town to town, hoping
to find a home that is hospitable, and then performing his heart out. Ronan O'Mara is a nine year old boy, who is captivated by the storyteller, when he
visits the O'Mara home for 3 nights. The boy doesn't move a muscle for fear of breaking
the spell of the story.....he lies awake at night recalling the stories....he is deeply
saddened when the storyteller hits the road.
Ronan is so drawn to the storyteller's tales and lifestyle, that it becomes his personal mission to find the storyteller again and learn the trade.
Years go by....Ronan seems to have many close encounters, but always
just misses the old storyteller. Neighbors claim "sightings", but always
a few days or weeks before. Fast forward to Ronan's college years....he is called home suddenly, as his
father is gravely ill. Sadly, Mr O'Mara dies, and who should appear at the funeral
but the old storyteller! Ronan gets to talk to him briefly, but the crowd gathers
round and the storyteller disappears down the road, once again. Why the obsession? Why are neighbors and family members sending Ronan
on wild goose chases? Where does the magic of the stories come from?
Read this charming book and find out!
Each chapter was delightful( and often informative- relaying Irish history).
It's a lengthy book of 550 pages, but you can easily pick it up, read a chapter,
and set it down to be continued the next night. Sent from my iPad
