Exiles: A journey through Ireland from Beara to Ballycastle (The Pilgrim Trilogy) - Softcover

BREEN, DERMOT

9781095768976: Exiles: A journey through Ireland from Beara to Ballycastle (The Pilgrim Trilogy)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1095768972 ISBN 13: 9781095768976

Publisher: Independently published, 2019

Exiles is steeped in history and humour and skilfully weaves together fact and fantasy, providing the reader with an incredible account of a journey through many of the lesser known parts of the beautiful island of Ireland, encountering many weird and wonderful characters along the way. It is also an inspiring account of the author’s continuing journey in seeking to come to terms with the loss of a woman he loved so much – a journey that finally draws to a fabulous and heart-warming conclusion in the town of Ballycastle on the eve of its historic Lammas Fair. This is the third and final book in the author’s Pilgrim Trilogy. Following his pilgrimages along the Ulster Way and the Camino de Santiago (subjects of Books One and Two in the Pilgrim Trilogy respectively), the author decides to walk a 1,000km trail up through the middle of Ireland, called the Ireland Way. It links the Beara-Breifne Way in the South with the Ulster Way in the North and takes him from Castletownbere on the south-west coast of County Cork to Ballycastle on the north-east coast of County Antrim. It’s his third long distance pilgrimage in memory of his late wife, Jacqui, who he lost to ovarian cancer three years beforehand. The route’s end point of Ballycastle has a very special significance to the author, as it is where Jacqui was born and raised and was now also where her remains lay, in the grounds of a small parish church called St James. Although still missing her greatly, the rawness of the pain he had experienced in the months following her death has now receded and he is in a much more buoyant mood and this is reflected in the humour of his story. However, he never imagined that the summer time walk he had embarked upon would become an epic trek that would see him having to deal with a blistering heat wave, several encounters with herds of cattle, getting lost in fog covered hills and suffering a demoralising injury that had the potential to bring his walk to a premature end. Nor did he ever imagine that it would also become the most remarkable of journeys, filled with stunningly beautiful landscapes and incredibly hospitable people, incorporating the most unusual of history lessons from a seventeenth century Irish Chieftain and finishing with the most amazing of homecomings. Here’s what some readers have said: “Entertaining, informative and heartfelt. Another triumph!” “I adored this book. The author’s resilience, zest for life, humour and painful loss are obvious throughout the book and I went through all the emotions with him. It’s a definite thumbs up from me.” “Beautiful, full of info, felt as if I was walking with the author.” “What a fabulous read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Made me laugh out loud with the escapades with the cows.” “The author takes the time to appreciate the beauty of our countryside, the warmth of human relationships, the wonder of nature and all its creatures, wild and tame.” “Having read his other books, I was not only travelling a walking journey, but also an emotional one, watching grief soften and a hugely strong person come to the fore.” “I enjoyed it immensely. The interaction with Donal Cam really added to the story. I was always of the opinion that the story of his march would make a brilliant film and reading some of the well-researched interpretations of the encounters he had along the way, has strengthened that notion.” “It is intense and absorbing. Also a huge personal insight told with humour and wit and real life mixed in.” “Well done on a rather fabulous account of mad Irishmen and cows.” “The very personal encounter gives the reader a much deeper insight into the character of the man (Donal Cam) and the terrible trials he and his followers endured. I also liked the descriptions of the various towns and villages along the route. People like myself feel inspired to go and visit some of these locations.” “It’s excellent. Personally, this is my favourite book so far!”

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