Ireland

By: Frank Delaney

Narrated by: Frank Delaney

Length: 19 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

One evening in 1951, an itinerant storyteller arrives unannounced at a house in the Irish countryside. In exchange for a bed and a warm meal, he invites his hosts and their neighbors to join him by the wintry fireside and begins to tell formative stories of Ireland's history. Ronan, a nine-year-old boy, grows so entranced by the storytelling that, when the old man leaves abruptly under mysterious circumstances, the boy devotes himself to finding him again.

Ronan's search for the Storyteller becomes both a journey of self-discovery, long unspoken family secrets, and an immersion into the sometimes conflicting histories of his native land.

A sweeping novel of huge ambition, Ireland is the beautifully told story of a remarkable nation. It rings with the truth of a writer passionate about his country and in full command of his craft.

©2005 Frank Delaney (P)2005 HarperAudio

Critic reviews

"A sprawling, riveting read....Rich and satisfying." (Publishers Weekly)

Irish History As Told By a Storyteller

This is a wonderful compilation of Irish stories, including ancient myths and legends, stories of gallantry during struggles with English domination, and most recent encounters in Northern Ireland. Before listening to this book, I had only a meager understanding of Irish history, but after finishing the book I have a much better appreciation of the rich history of Ireland. The stories are compelling in their own right, but are made more so by being woven into a larger story about the storyteller.

Ireland

A wonderful story, well written and narrated. One of my all time favorites. A must read for all who love Ireland.

Never connected like this before

The reader has a mastery of Irish accents and a pacing that is pleasant to the ear. The writer is an excellent character and story developer. Each character was truly human, and very Irish. Everything in this story was already so fun to listen to as you went along, but the true beauty comes in the end. All loose ends are tied up and all aspects are connected in a breathtaking moment of storytelling. I cried coming to its conclusion as I felt the reality of Ireland’s history and how far we have had to come. I mourned and rejoiced over all that had to happen for us to be here. So proud.

A great read before a trip to Ireland!

Read (audibly) this lovely book before my trip to Ireland and felt I had a more personal and "full" experience while I was there. I enjoyed the reader very much, and the way the history was told as stories was delightful. The story behind the histories was interesting and clever, too, and helped pull together the stories... though that was not my favorite part of the book. What I liked best about the book was the way the author presented history as an oral story passed down by a storyteller... a very personal way to talk about something that could be dry and detailed.

I "listened" to this book, but it is a good one to have a hard copy if you are traveling so that you know the spellings of the names (they don't always look like they sound, so aren't always recognizable if you haven't seen them before). However, the fact that I could pronounce many of the Irish names (having heard them while listening to the book) impressed some of the locals. :-) Also, the audible book gave me the joy of feeling like I was truly listening to the traveling story teller.

The book was extra special since I was heading to the land about which all of these stories were written.

A true gem

When I first found this book I wasn't sure what to expect.
When I finish this book I was in tears. This was one of the most beautiful stories I have ever heard, and I truly hope to hear more like it.

A story of stories

I loved the history, the stories, the perspective... it all came together.
It touched all of my emotions and it touched my heart.
Thank you Mr. Delaney. Thank you.

Wow!

What s great story and listening to it made me think it was the only way to read such a book. The accent was necessary to bring it to life. I come away feeling like I understand my Irish heritage now.

(Almost) As good as a trip to Ireland

This book was history, fable, and personal quest all rolled into one... all quite magical. I only chose this book based on the reviews from Audible listeners and was skeptical. I have become another that would highly recommend this if you like a very fine line between reality and myth. The reader was excellent as I felt I knew all personalities portrayed.

What a gift storytelling is! I love this book

Ready for my trip to Ireland in 2 weeks. This wonderful book of tales will truly enrich my experience, bringing to life the great people and places in the country.

Add this to your Desert Island reading list

No word in the english language could find a better "home" than this marvelous story written and read by Frank Delaney.