Ireland's history has long been illuminated, and enlivened, by bizarre, colourful, extravagant, unfettered individuals: ripe country-house eccentrics, saints, scholars, bucks and hell-rakes, duellists, abductors, rhymers and miracle-makers. These factual and fascinating biographical sketches make for 'delightful reading' (Frank Muir).
Ireland's history has long been illuminated, and enlivened, by bizarre, colourful, extravagant, unfettered individuals: ripe country-house eccentrics, saints, scholars, bucks and hell-rakes, duellists, abductors, rhymers and miracle-makers. These factual and fascinating biographical sketches make for 'delightful reading' (Frank Muir).
'Mr Somerville-Large writes with erudition' - Tim Heald, The Times 'A delightful compendium of sheer nuttiness. If, as sociologists suggest, eccentricity is a luxury, Ireland is portrayed in this book as one of the most luxurious countries anywhere.' - Malcolm MacPherson, Newsweek 'Mr Somerville-Large has probed the annals of dim Anglo-Irish families to produce a rare gallery of human curiosities. All human life is here with a vengence, and in these affectionately presented pages its vagaries know no bounds. ' - William Trevor, The Guardian 'Peter Somerville-Large has parcelled up as colourful a batch of nature's sports as could be found a whisker this side of lunacy, and has written about them in a witty detached prose style which admirably sets off their extraordinary behaviour.Delightful reading.' - Frank Muir, The Spectator
'Mr Somerville-Large writes with erudition' - Tim Heald, The Times 'A delightful compendium of sheer nuttiness. If, as sociologists suggest, eccentricity is a luxury, Ireland is portrayed in this book as one of the most luxurious countries anywhere.' - Malcolm MacPherson, Newsweek 'Mr Somerville-Large has probed the annals of dim Anglo-Irish families to produce a rare gallery of human curiosities. All human life is here with a vengence, and in these affectionately presented pages its vagaries know no bounds. ' - William Trevor, The Guardian 'Peter Somerville-Large has parcelled up as colourful a batch of nature's sports as could be found a whisker this side of lunacy, and has written about them in a witty detached prose style which admirably sets off their extraordinary behaviour.Delightful reading.' - Frank Muir, The Spectator