Enter these pages to discover a singular and fabled Ireland of the 1800’s, a mystic Ireland that may have been; a land of Poets and Crafts folk, Lovers and Rebels, Heroes and Dreamers. There you will encounter events and characters that may not be as they seem. Buy Book Here
Synopsis
Travel across mist veiled moors, ride the surly sea, knock at poor stone cottages and walk the sooty cobbled streets of Dublin. Meet a folk driven by an obdurate spirit, bound by superstition, wounded by a harsh fate and freed by steadfast love.
Find a changeling child, a rebel and his dreams, a poet and her fairies, a weeping fisherman, a humpback peddler, a traveling Tinker, a lonely lighthouse keep, a lace-maker with second sight and many more. Each character grows through a revelation, a discovery, and each has a unique skill. Together, united as a Guild of Craftsmen they forge a culture in a fierce land of salt and peat and honey. Here you may find a rare treasure at the end of the rainbow.
The last two stories in this collection cross from the fictitious Land of Dreams to the real Historical Ireland and tell of two remarkable Celts who stood firm in both worlds: the Fenian/Freedom Fighter, Joseph McGarrity, and Ella Young, Irish poet/mythologist and friend of W.B.Yeats.
Author
Sieglinde
De Francesca has always sought to awaken a sense of wonderment through
her work as an author, teacher, storyteller and artist.Besides her several books on holistic education, her A Donsy of Gnomes, 7 gentle gnome stories, a children’s book, has become a favorite to many. Her latest work, The Guilds of Tir Na nÓg, is the result of a recent visit by a muse from the land of her Celtic forefathers who took her on a mystic journey into the past.
Though born in Massachusetts, Sieglinde spent her early childhood in Ireland (Tyrone County) and has returned numerous times, though sadly, not of late. She is the granddaughter of the Fenian/Freedom Fighter, Joseph McGarrity, and considers Ella Young, the Irish poet/mythologist and friend of W.B.Yeats, to be her own special “Fairy” Godmother.
After almost forty years as teacher and mentor, Sieglinde now enjoys writing, traveling and dreaming from her home in the San Francisco Bay area.
Kudos
“In this singular gem of a book the master story-teller’s long perfected craft reaches a glory and grace that utterly ‘charms’, in all senses of that word.”Ann Cowart Lutzky, award winning author of “Those Beautiful Eyes”
“In this collection, Sieglinde de Francesca weaves the ordinary and the magical into a tapestry of lovely and enchanting stories. These tales carry the cadence of the oral tradition - sit by the fire, read them aloud, and be transported to realms of enchantment.”
Mary Gomes, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology
“A Future Classic… The Guilds of Tir Na nÓg
This little book might very well become a classic. Mythical and yet also historical and intimately real, these stories present beautiful evocations of Ireland and Irish life, such as only a master story teller could conjure. The book touched me deeply and I know I will be reading it again and again. I already wish to return to the world between its covers. I am not Irish, but Ireland has entered my heart. I can foresee these often-surprising, often suspenseful tales enriching the understanding of what it is to be Irish for both the not-Irish and for those who actually are from, or descended from, this fascinating people and land. For the latter group, this is a rare opportunity to "return" to by-gone days and hours in the enchanting land of their ancestors. The Guilds of Tir Na nÓg is going to be my gift to my Irish friends this holiday season.”
A. C. Lutzky, December, 2014
“The Guilds of Tir Na nÓg, by Sieglinde De Francesca, is a set of charming and mystical, well-crafted short stories that will take you on journeys into the magical happenings of the lives of Irish everyday-folk of the mid-1800's. Serendipity, prescient dreams and mysteries of the deep are just a few of the uncommon elements in the common lives of these simple people of the earth.”
James Guzzetta, Oct 26, 2014
“What a powerful magic is in The Guilds of Tir Na nÓg! The rhythm of the writing is so beautiful – voices come alive, for sharing the tales around the hearth. Yes, Ella (Young) gave (the author) a treasure, the gift of such writings. Joseph McGarrity,(the author’s grandfather), was an amazing and driven man, larger than life – and a poet too.”
Liz Sibley, artist, January, 2015
“The language in The Guilds of Tir Na nÓg: A Collection of Celtic Dream Tales, is so lyrical and delicious, and the stories so evocative.”
Jill Yasmin Kaplan, author of Jenny’s Gift, and The Star Children
Other Links
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Book Info
“The Guilds of Tir Na nÓg”
By Sieglinde De Francesca
published by Lulu Press
Hardcover | 6 x 9 in | 116 pages | ISBN 9781483418797
Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 116 pages | ISBN 9781483418773
E-Book | ISBN 9781483418780
