Peadar O'Donnell — Islanders

Mercier Press, Limited 1963 Paperback, 124pp. In 'Islanders' Peadar O'Donnell reveals life among the fishing folk in the little islands off the west coast of Ireland. It is a convincing and haunting story of epic simplicity in which a whole family comes to life. Under the author's spell we are taken into their world of poverty, hunger, laughter, and, above all, hope. Peadar O'Donnell trained as a school teacher in Dublin. He went on full time active service with the I. R. A. in the Winter of 1920. As a brigade O/C he opposed the Treaty, and was one of the members of the I. R. A. executive in the period of the armed defence of the Republic against the Treaty forces. He was taken prisoner in the fall of The Four Courts and spent almost two years in jail. 'I spent a good few months in continuous solitary confinement in 1923. I found it stimulating. I did encourage my mind, however, to steal out the window, to boats, islands, scenes I like'. He later assembled his prison vision in 'Islanders'. Owner's Name inside. Cover tanned at edges; a little dogeared; small water stain bottom lat few pages (text not affected). Fair.