In the mid-1960s, an Irish-American widower named Patrick O'Neill arrives in the quiet village of Mountfern with his two teenage children. He plans to convert the ruins of a local manor house, Fernscourt, into a luxury hotel, promising economic prosperity to the rural community. The narrative follows the interactions between the O’Neill family and the local residents, including the Ryan family who run the village pub. As construction progresses, the clash between Patrick’s commercial ambitions and the traditional fabric of the village leads to accidental tragedy, broken alliances, and permanent changes to the landscape.
This book is for readers who value detailed social observations and the mechanics of small-town dynamics. Those interested in Irish social history or stories about the friction between modernization and tradition will find a realistic portrayal of community life. The reader walks away with a clear understanding of how one person’s nostalgia can disrupt an established social order. It provides a look at how professional goals and personal attachments collide when an outsider attempts to reinvent a place he never truly understood, resulting in a sober realization that progress always carries a human cost.
Practical, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1987
- Language
- EN
