An Irish Country Village

By: Patrick Taylor M.D.

Narrated by: John Keating

Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Welcome to the Village of Ballybucklebo. Come and say hello to Dr. O'Reilly's odd-as-two-left feet patients, his housekeeper, Mrs. "Kinky" Kinkaid, and O'Reilly's pets, Arthur Guinness, the beer-swilling black Lab and Lady MacBeth, the demonically possessed white cat. And of course, to young Dr. Barry Laverty. After Barry's first month as an assistant to crusty Dr. O'Reilly, he has been offered a permanent spot. But Laverty's excitement is dashed when one of his patients unexpectedly dies. The damage to his reputation is enormous, and he and O'Reilly must work to resolve the question of Barry's responsibility for the death. They also have to figure out how to save the four-hundred-year-old village pub. Plans are afoot to not renew the hundred-year lease and instead transform the old pub into a sparkling new tourist trap. To make matters even worse, Patricia Spence, the love of Barry's life, announces she is trying to win a scholarship to distant Cambridge University, all the way in England.... Beautifully evocative of a gentler, simpler time, Patrick Taylor's An Irish Country Village magically captures the charm, wit, and ribald humor of a vanished Irish countryside and its people.

©2008 Patrick Taylor (P)2008 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“So, have a wee listen to Patrick Taylor's sequel to An Irish Country Doctor and if you're not charmed by the lives, loves and longings of the feisty folks of Ballybucklebo, County Ulster, Northern Ireland, I'll eat my hat, so I will. Read in a beguiling brogue by John Keating...Taylor peoples thatched-roofed Ballybucklebo with quirky characters...'Tis a grand place, one I hope we'll have many occasions to revisit.” —BookPage

Love it

I love reading/listening to stories set in or about my ancestors home country. Can't wait to read/listen to the next book in the Irish Country Doctor series.

Great Characters

If you could sum up An Irish Country Village in three words, what would they be?

casual, fun, heartwarming

What did you like best about this story?

I like the quirkyness of the characters that the author has created

What does John Keating bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The dialect and accents of small town Ireland. I always want to stop for a cold pint after listening.

Who was the most memorable character of An Irish Country Village and why?

So many characters to choose from. I think Kinky the housekeeper/ ofice manager could be my favorite but Sir Arthur Guinness is a close second.

Any additional comments?

This is the second book in the series and there is quite a bit of review of what happened in the first book. I suppose this is good if you read the first book a while ago or not at all, but I listened to them consecutively and was a little fustrated by the review.

A pure delight

I’m just loving this series and have just downloaded then next book. That tells you something. I love the story and the performance is brilliant. Many laughs too!

A dream of a story

Since I sometimes dream myself with an Irish brogue though there is little chance I have any Irish blood these
stories bring to me the community of small towns across the world, the love of a wonderful obstinate dog and the uncertainties of our decisions for the future. I am addicted.

Fabulous book

This lovely book has a great cast of characters and a wonderful story-line. Those in the medical profession will appreciate the accuracy of the medical experiences of the two main characters in the book who are both physicians. The reader is absolutely amazing. I am left wanting to read the other books in this series as well.

Love the series

Any additional comments?

Another nice addition to the series...light and pleasurable to listen to throughout. In many ways, the 1960s as portrayed here seems like an even earlier era, but that may be because of the overall setting--a small Irish village. Love the characters and the stories they tell. Not great literature, but a fun listen and wonderful diversion from daily life.

Such fun!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Each character has his/her flaws and virtues and we truly care about each one. The main plot and all the smaller ones are suspenseful or entertaining or uplifting or just downright amusing. The narrator is tops. I highly recommend this book for its joyful approach to life.

An Irish Country Village

A delightful tale about 2 doctors in an Irish country village and the personalities who live within. I think we all know someone who lives here. Written with humour and beautifully narrated.

Another charming story

This is the second book in the series and it didn't disappoint. The characters became even more interesting and endearing. The storyline continues, yet adds more characters and situations. I really fell in love with the people and the village. This is a sweet story but not saccharine. At the end, the wonderful housekeeper even gives recipes for some of the Irish dishes! And the narration is so, so good. I am ordering the next in the series.

A second gem

So excited to be back in the lives of the people of Ballybackelbo. A true joy to listen to, flew through it in record time. Really delighted to have more stories to listen to