Staffs writer goes back in time with Irish roots book
Added: (Thu Dec 23 2021)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Retired Staffordshire engineer Frank Ryan has dipped into his own Irish heritage for his first full-length historical novel.
And the grandfather from Rugeley has waded knee deep into the religious bigotry that has divided the Emerald Isle for generations.
Flotsam & Jetsam is a remarkably accurate portrayal of love across the great Protestant-Catholic divide towards the end of the 19th century.
Set between Frank’s native Lancashire and Ireland, the gripping novel is a thrilling study of prejudice and mistrust.
And it took several visits across the Irish sea, as well as painstaking desktop research to bring the decades before independence to life.
Frank said: “The idea for Flotsam & Jetsam came from my own family and a few heirlooms that have been passed down.
“I made several visits to Ireland as part of my research for Flotsam & Jetsam.
“I also relied on a lot of 19th century Ordnance Survey material and other local publications, as well as a few conversations with elder relatives.
“The story takes places in several parts of Ireland – what is today both north and south of the border – as well as in Warrington.”
Flotsam & Jetsam follows the fortunes of William Wallace, the son of Ulster presbyterian parents in County Mayo during the second half of the 19th century.
Dire finances force the Wallace family to take over a derelict farm in the south to scrape a meagre existence.
But tougher times still lie ahead for William as he is forced to leave Ireland and take to the sea for a living.
Frank’s historical epic sees the ocean-hardened Wallace wash up on the shores of England, where he falls for a widow ten years his senior – and is Catholic.
Flotsam & Jetsam is a riveting adventure packed with exceptional characterisation and vivid imagery.
Frank, whose favourite authors include John Steinbeck, Bernard Cornwell and Laurie Lee, added: “It is now the year 1872, and this one-time farmer and mariner, is about to marry Mary O'Dowd.
“In order to marry her, though, he has converted to the Roman Catholic faith.
“But not everyone thinks this 'Orangeman' a suitable husband for her.
“To prove they are justified, the story must return to an Ireland raging with bigotry, famine and downright rebellion.”
Away from writing, Frank is an accomplished musician.
For more information visit Amazon and search for Frank Ryan, where the Kindle version of Flotsam and Jetsam is available.
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