The Hurley Maker’s Son
The Hurley Maker’s Son by Patrick Deeley, published by National Geographic Books on April 25, 2017, is a reprint edition comprising 208 pages in English. This book presents a poignant exploration of Deeley’s childhood in rural East Galway, beginning with a train journey home following the death of his father, a hurley maker. Through a series of evocative moments, Deeley reflects on his upbringing, capturing the essence of family life and the natural world around him.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of memories that highlight the intricacies of family relationships, particularly focusing on fatherhood and the bonds formed through shared experiences. The narrative unfolds with vivid descriptions of everyday life, from the workings of a timber workshop to the simple yet profound moments of rural existence. Deeley’s prose resonates with themes of love, loss, and the passage of time, offering a reflective look at a childhood that intertwines personal history with the broader context of a changing landscape.
Official synopsis Publisher
Patrick Deeley’s train journey home to rural East Galway in autumn 1978 was a pilgrimage of grief: his giant of a father had been felled, the hurley-making workshop silenced.
From this moment, Patrick unfolds his childhood as a series of evocative moments, from the intricate workings of the timber workshop run by his father to the slow taking apart of an old tractor and the physical burial of a steam engine; from his mother’s steady work on an old Singer sewing machine to his father’s vertiginous quickstep on the roof of their house. There are many wonderful descriptions of the natural world and delightful cameos of characters and incidents from a not-so-long-ago country childhood.
In a style reminiscent of John McGahern’s Memoir, Deeley’s beautifully paced prose captures the rhythms, struggles and rough edges of a rural life that was already dying even as he grew. This is an enchanting, beautifully written account of family, love, loss, and the unstoppable march of time.
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