Ireland by Frank Delaney

Ireland by Frank Delaney

From just the title of this novel, you would think Delaney has bitten off more than what could be handled in a novel. But in a very unique and creative treatment, Delaney succeeds in telling the story of Ireland, while keeping the reader totally engaged. He employs the use of a somewhat mysterious storyteller (seanchai: Gaelic for storyteller) who travels the length and width of Ireland.

"One wintry evening in 1951, an itinerant storyteller - a Seanchai, the very last practitioner of a fabled tradition extending back hundreds of years - arrives unannounced at a house in the Irish countryside. In exchange for a bed and a warm meal, he invites his hosts and some of their neighbors to join him by the fireside, and begins to tell formative stories of Ireland's history." One of the listeners, the 9 year old boy in the household, Ronan, becomes so entranced by the old storyteller and his tales, that as he grows up, he pledges to himself to track down the storyteller. It becomes a story of self-discovery for Ronan, along with some surprising twists, as we learn more about Ireland and the storyteller.

The Washington Post states, "The stories of Irish history are familiar but still stirring, and Delaney brings a fresh perspective and a depth of understanding to the telling." Delaney succeeds in capturing the magic that is Ireland.