From the Back Cover

“One thing I love most about Ireland is its almost ancient sense of self, its powerful identity, the shelves of books in Eason’s exploring every nook and cranny of the country (books that people actually buy!). It’s also what I like least about it. Ireland’s solid brand, its seeming desire to pin its identity to the bogs, to Guinness (a multinational conglomerate!) and to bestsellers explaining how the Irish taught the world anything worth knowing, makes it so hard for us newcomers to feel like we belong. I was walking along the Old Seamus Quirke Road in the Galway rain in Wellington boots when a man in a tweed cap stopped me for some conversation. ‘I see you’ve learned about our weather quickly!’ he announced cheerfully, pointing to my sensible footwear. I was grateful for the chat — but how did he know how long I’d been here?”

from “Fitting In” by Deirdre Mask