Flanagan made an astonishing debut with this landmark novel, which was named the most distinguished work of fiction in 1979 by the National Book Critics Circle. The year is 1798, when a band of determined, romantic Irishmen rise up in County Mayo against their English rulers...
In 1798, Irish patriots, committed to freeing their country from England, landed with a company of French troops in County Mayo, in westernmost Ireland. They were supposed to be an advance guard, followed by other French ships with the leader of the rebellion, Wolfe Tone. Briefly...