Divided in two by political and religious differences, the isle of Ireland comprises two fabulously green entities: Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland (a sovereign country). Lucky for us, delicious food, compelling stories, raucous pubs, and toe-tapping music know no boundaries.

In this episode, we dig into the fraught history of The Troubles, introduce you to remarkable Irish women writers, and get real about leprechauns. Then we recommend five books that will transport you to Ireland, including a larger-than-life biography, a history of The Troubles, an atmospheric short story collection, a contemporary thriller, and a poignant historical novel set in Dublin.

Books we cover include:

The Pull of the Stars: A Novel by Emma Donoghue
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became American Hero by Timothy Egan
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
That Old Country Music: Stories by Kevin Barry

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-02-08-ireland

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Ep 24 - Ireland: It's Not Good, It's Grand