First published 2001
In a London pub during the 1950s, editor William Maginn overhears a disturbing reference to his birthplace, a remote mountain village in Kerry, Ireland. The village apparently met some shameful end. Maginn travels back to Kerry to investigate what happened to his childhood home. He discovers that the women of this isolated community began dying under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind only men, children, and their priest, Father McGreevy. The priest found himself alone trying to hold together what remained of his parish. McGreevy battled not only the harsh mountain weather but also the mounting grief and superstitions of his remaining parishioners. As the village grew more cut off from the outside world, the priest struggled to maintain faith and order among people increasingly desperate and afraid. The story reveals the deep traditions of Irish rural life and the folklore that shapes how people understand tragedy and loss.
Genres: fiction, irish-literature, historical-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: isolation, loss, mystery
Setting: Kerry, London, Mountain Village
Period: 1950s
314 pages · Paperback · Arcadia Books