Artist James MacIntyre recalls a summer on the remote West Ireland island of Innishlacken with fellow artists Gerard Dillon and George Campbell. From the congested streets, tram cars and junk shops of early-1950s Belfast, the book tells the story of escape and newly discovered self. MacIntyre's lack of stamina when faced with a full night's drinking, his shyness when meeting Kate O'Brien and learning painting techniques from Dillon and Campbell, all point to his youth. But through the camaraderie, the laughter, arguments and Guinness, the thrill of departure and the quest for survival on the island, a lifetime of experience was learned in one short summer.