Only Wounded: Stories of the Irish Troubles

Irish Troubles #0.5

by Patrick Taylor

Ireland, home of legendary poets and storytellers, has been wracked by bloody sectarian violence over the last quarter century. Bombs and guns were, and once again are, the primary negotiation tools used by Catholic and Protestant extremists in the conflict surrounding the sovereignty of Northern Ireland—the six counties known as Ulster.

Patrick Taylor's Only Wounded centers on the hopes and despairs of everyday life during these new Troubles. New York Times bestselling author Patrick Taylor traces an intricate narrative path through Ulster, detailing sensitive, unbiased portraits of the ordinary—and not so ordinary—people caught in the partisan brutality of Northern Ireland.

Genres: Ireland, Short Stories, Fiction, Irish Literature, Historical Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Patrick Taylor, M.D., is the author of the Irish Country books, including An Irish Country Doctor, An Irish Country Village, An Irish Country Christmas, An Irish Country Girl, and An Irish Country Courtship. Taylor was born and raised in Bangor, County Down, in Northern Ireland. After qualifying as a specialist in 1969, he worked in Canada for thirty-one years. He now lives on Saltspring Island, British Columbia.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/patric...

Reviews

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will this book resonate with the reader? It depends on how wounded -- emotionally, physically, spiritually--the persons living through the Irish Troubles for over 30 years are and how much it matters what the wounding is. There is sadness to fill more books than this little book of short stories but these are sad enough. It matters not, whether the lives are Catholic or Protestant that are damaged. The greatest sadness is the cruelty of the soldiers on both sides. The anger and hatred that the English choke hold brought to the surface of the Catholic Irish hearts and retaliation against that hold are overwhelming, So many innocents --children and women, primarily whose men took sides and waged bloody attacks randomly, sparing no one, including those of their own persuasion in a blinding war that no one would win. The heart grows heavy with each tale, the eyes weep for each wound and the head sometimes rages at the mindless inhumanity. In case the story itself did not make an impact, Taylor ends each with several incidents that occurred in the year and a running tally of the deaths for the year and the total for the span of the 30 years just covered. By the end of 1994 there were 3268 dead--who knows how many only wounded.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered Patrick Taylor by accident but am glad that I did. I love his writing and I love his Irish Country Doctor series. Only Wounded is totally different and very interesting. This is the story of what Mr Taylor refers to as "The Irish Troubles" involving the IRA, Northern Ireland and all the mess that went on. Very interesting.

[Andy Pandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seems faithful to all factions.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book taking a flyer from book outlet. I have always been facinated by the troubles in Northern Ireland, and more specifically Belfast. I visited Belfast approximately eight years ago and it was one of the most tense cities I have ever experienced. While waiting to take a bus tour of the city, I happened to encounter a man who had lived in Belfast during the troubles. We had an epic conversation, culminating with him telling me the Hotel Europa in Belfast was bombed numerous times by the IRA. I then proceeded to take the Belfast bus "tour." It was an epic shit show! The bus tour refused to stop in any catholic or "green" section of the city! The 30-45 foot walls separating neighbors backyards was a glaring reminder that there is very little peace or compromise in this city. So with that background I read this book and was utterly impressed. Both the IRA greens and the Ulster pro orange sides are fairly represented. Many of the stories are devastating and poignant. My favorite recurring characters were the two friends, one on each side of the conflict whose friendship lasts the spectrum of the troubles from; 1964-1994. Until the agreed upon peace by Sinn Finn in 1994. I highly recommend this book if this is a period of history you are interested in--Read it!

[Susan Goggin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick Taylor is one of my favorite authors. He grew up in Ulster, Northern Ireland, became a doctor and then moved his family to Canada where he also began writing novels. This particular book is a collection of short stories about life in Ulster during "the troubles". To his great credit Patrick Taylor doesn't "choose sides", glorify "the troubles" through his stories or pass out blame. He simply tells stories about incidents that either did happen or might have happened to families living in Northern Ireland during those complicated, heart breaking years. His book makes me appreciate how very lucky I am to have grown up where I did.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of fictional stories about the Irish troubles, interspersed with factual accounts of bombings and terrorist activities in Northern Ireland.

Too depressing for me to read. Glad times have changed there and it's hard to believe this stuff was going on when I was born. You would think by now that people wouldn't fight over what denomination of Christian you are.

[James Meador · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Should be food for thought for those wanting to foment revolution.

[Diane Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Patrick Taylor's Irish Doctor series. I visited Ireland this past summer, and our original itinerary included a visit to Northern Ireland. I decided to start reading the Stories of the Troubles in preparation. Unfortunately, that part of the trip was cancelled due to visa requirements, but I do plan to continue reading Taylor's books!

[Don Kathke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very educational about Ireland and its history.

I was not very well educated on the "troubles" , only hearing about the bombing and murderers. Glad that I understand the "troubles" better.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories are heartbreaking--some many innocent victims and families torn apart. If you ever plan to visit Northern Ireland, this is a must read.

[T.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking and troubling. Hate is a terrible thing, especially when its allowed to take so many innocent lives along the way.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up hearing about the battle that took place in Northern Ireland. I never really understood it or was able to grasp what it was like to live in in that area.

Patrick Taylor has written some marvelous stories describing the life of both sides.. the innocents that were effected as well as those that were behind those attrocities.. Great reading-great followup to "Pray for Us Sinners" and "Now and in the Hour of Our Death".

but dont' forget to read his IRISH COUNTRY DOCTOR SERIES as well.. light hearted look at the life of Dr. O'Reilly in his small irish village.

[Ruth Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever wanted to know about how life was like in Northern Ireland during The Troubles then this is the book to read. Patrick Taylor delivers compelling stories about ordinary people struggling to survive during terror. The victims, the perpetrators, the soldiers, all have their turn in these stories. A very sobering, sad, and compelling read.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though fiction, the book presumably paints an accurate picture of what the 25-year conflict between the Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland was like. It's a book to read if you've never really understood what all that fighting was about. The brutal tactics used by both sides are hard to comprehend.

[Tom Wascoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different type of book for Taylor. Series of vignettes about various people impacted by the trouble in Northerm Ireland. Again very well written with excellent characters. Because of the subject matter, does not have the humorous undertone of the "Irish Country Doctor" series. Excellent read.

[Debbie Sencenbaugh]

Depressing but well researched change for this author. Looks at Ireland's "Troubles" through the eyes of different people touched in different ways by the violence and desperation. Would read again as research because of the "yearly tally" of the accumulation of deaths and snips of bombings, etc.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed learning about some of the issues people faced during "the troubles". The short story format with different characters seemed more interesting than following a single character.

[Sandra Ponic]

Abandoned