Bealach na Spáinneach

604 pp; paperback; ISBN 978-1-909907-71-3

The third book in the Lúcás Ó Briain series (An Litir). The Atlantic port of Galway 1612, Lucás, a young student and a gifted swordsman, is entrusted by a shady Jesuit priest with an important letter to be delivered into the hands of Aodh Mór Ó Néill, Earl of Tyrone (leader of the Irish chieftains in Rome seeking the help of Philip of Spain to retake Ireland from the English). Lúcás’s mission will take him on a perilous journey across Europe. Following hot on his heels, in the narrow streets of the city, is the enemy’s most devious and brutal spy — with orders to stop him, at all costs.

Mac Cóil’s Clear, Elegant Prose

“For Mac Cóil, Lúcás Ó Briain and O’Neill represent a Gaelic Ireland which has to accept the supremacy of Spain (and Rome) as it identifies with Europe. O’Neill is both a fine subject for historical fiction and an enduring symbol of the struggle for an independent European Ireland and, in a sentimental sense, to hold this book in one’s hand is somehow a vindication of that cause. The book is important and has enduring resonance because O’Neill ensured that Ireland had a distinct “voice” in Europe long before Brexit.

“To complete our understanding of the past, the narrative historian must give way to the artist and this is the real role and value of a work of historical fiction like this. It is a real page-turner and a must-have for those le Gaeilge. Mac Cóil’s clear, elegant prose will ease the task even for those with rusty Irish.” — Fionn Ó Gráda Dublin Review of Books

“Tá an triológ seo ar na trí leabhar is fearr a scríobhadh i nGaeilge riamh … is eipic é … Seo leabhar na bliana 2020. Ní thiocfaidh leabhar níos fearr i mbliana!”— Maitiú Ó Coimín, An Cúinne Dána RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta

You can feel the boots and blades in Mac Cóil’s Galway

The final book of a trilogy of novels that crosses Europe on the company of Lúcás Ó Briain in the early years of the 16th Century, with the enemy snapping at our heels.

You can feel the boots and blades in Mac Cóil’s Galway… An Litir is a singular achievement. — Pól Ó Muiri, The Irish Times

Leanann Lúcás Ó Briain dá aistear chun na Róimhe le litir rúnda san úrscéal staire seo ar sméar mhullaigh thríológ Liam Mhic Cóil é. Feidhmíonn an téacs ar leibhéil éagsúla. Cé gur fadscéal eachtraíochta é, tá tráchtaireacht ann freisin ar bhunú chultúr intleachtúil na Nua-Ghaeilge, aighneasóireacht chreidimh na mór-roinne sa 17ú haois agus borradh na féiniúlachta náisiúnta. Is iontach mar a chuirtear saol, cúraimí agus cultúr na ndaoine i láthair chomh maith. Gaisce físe agus scríbhneoireachta An Litir, I dTír Strainséartha agus Bealach na Spáinneach a bheith ar fáil dúinn. — Dónall Ó Braonáin, Tuairisc.ie

Tá an-mhothú ann don tréimhse in atmaisféar na Gaillimhe. Braitheann tú go raibh tú ann i 1612. Airíonn tú go bhfuil tú i lámha scríbhneora an-snasta. — Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, Comhluadar na Leabhar, RTÉ RnaG

Page-turner…. Seasfaidh an scéal seo i measc mórscéalta gaiscíochta an domhain. — Proinsias Mac a’Bhaird, Gaelscéal

Seo é an saothar is dírí agus is eachtrúla atá scríofa Liam Mac Cóil go nuige seo. Ropann an scéal ar aghaidh ó eachtra go heachtra agus ropann an léitheoir ar aghaidh ó leathanach go leathanach. — Micheál Mac Craith, Comhar.

Read an excerpt from Bealach na Spáinneach

Bealach na Spáinneach (sliocht á leamh ag an údar):