First published 1997
Matt Talbot walks the streets of Dublin, a laborer whose life revolves around drink until something breaks inside him. The year is somewhere in the late 1800s, and Talbot faces a choice that will define his remaining decades. He abandons alcohol completely, replacing his addiction with prayer, fasting, and physical penance that grows more severe with each passing year. The Dublin working class watches as one of their own becomes something else entirely, a man who seeks God through self-denial and spiritual discipline. Talbot's transformation isolates him from the world he once knew, creating a gulf between his former life and his pursuit of sanctity. His final years bring visions that lift him beyond the gritty reality of Dublin's streets. Kilroy captures both the harsh vernacular of working-class Dublin and the transcendent moments of Talbot's spiritual journey. This is a story about the price of choosing solitude in service of something greater, and the extraordinary willpower needed to sustain such a path.
Genres: christian-fiction, addiction, 20th-century, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: redemption, self-discovery, spiritual-journey
Setting: Dublin
Period: Late 1800s
64 pages · Paperback · Dufour Editions
Content warnings: addiction, alcohol-abuse