In the winter of 1951, a storyteller arrives at the home of nine-year-old Ronan O'Mara in the Irish countryside. The last practitioner of an honored, centuries-old tradition, the Seanchai enthralls his assembled audience for three evenings running with narratives of foolish kings and fabled saints, of enduring accomplishments and selfless acts -- until he is banished from the household for blasphemy and moves on. But these three incomparable nights have changed young Ronan forever, setting him on the course he will follow for years to come -- as he pursues the elusive, itinerant storyteller . . . and the magical tales that are no less than the glorious saga of his tenacious, troubled, and extraordinary isle.
Frank Delaney enjoyed a long career in BBC broadcasting before becoming a full-time writer. He is the author of several books that were bestsellers in the United Kingdom, including James Joyce's Odyssey, A Walk to the Western Isles, and The Celts. He now lives in Connecticut.
672 pages