The Hungry Grass

by Richard Power

"The last two weeks in the life of an irascible, isolated, aging village priest in Ireland gives substance to the sadness and beauty of an old land caught at the edge of change--the approaching dissolution of old ways and the memories of old men. The death of Father Tom Conroy, son of an eminent family of landowners, was an irritating and untimely happening, ruining forever the happy annual reunion of diocesan priests. Unaccommodating Tom always was refusing ordained ways. He terrified good establishment priests like Father Mahon, who found to his horror that Tom had chosen him to dispose of the Conroy effects. Among the effects in Tom's dirty, disheveled residence is a mysterious cache of pound notes. This legacy to Mahon, ""who believed so implicitly in the system,"" is another bitter joke of Father Tom's last days, as the ill and often bewildered priest savagely calls forth the past, a past which pours venom on a dubious present. And intermittently Father Tom fumbles to cope with this present: the zealous young priests determined to substitute industry for thatch; the somehow all-important fate of a fine pony; familial reminders of lost chances to speak out, render justice. Returning from England where he vainly rooted for a thread of family continuity in his dead brother's sons, Father Tom confronts his imminent death and shrives himself of the burden of possessions, buried memories and silence: ""Hadn't he had enough silence in his time?"" Ornery, sardonic, with a captive fury marked by his times and his pride, Father Tom is not easily forgotten." Kirkus Review

Genres: Fiction, Ireland, Irish Literature, Religion, Psychology, Novels, Literary Fiction

255 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1928 Richard Power was English speaking, though he was a great champion of the Irish language.
He fathered six children while working as a civil servant.
He wrote prose, poetry, and was a scriptwriter.
Power's most notable novel was The Hungry Grass (1969)

Reviews

[Michael Martin]

Father Tom Conroy enjoys a little rebellious mischief to disconcert his fellow priests, local dignitaries and the community. However he's haunted by a historic injustice committed by his family to his dead brother's wife and children. The novel captures a time when the clergy still had influence but starting to be questioned. The hungry grass of the title I've heard called the hungry sod but didn't realize the term had such a tragic origin.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm probably going to need to read this again someday. For now, it was incredibly good, and bonus points for the occasional hilarity. I picked this up on a lark in Dublin, thinking it sounded in line with my literary interests of latter years, and I was right. Something about it reminds me strongly of the Slovenian books I'd been reading, and the tiniest bit of "Sunset Song."

[Oakleigh Irish · Rating 5 out of 5]

In ways The Hungry Grass is the first post modern Irish novel. Tom Conroy is a fabulous character full of flaws, cynicism, idealism and lofty principles as he navigates the lonely life of a rural parish priest. Power’s narrative style is lyrical and perceptive with a strong sense of place and an instinctual understanding of the culture, its characters and its zeitgeist.

My only regret is that I discovered this so late, as it wasn’t in vogue in Irish literature departments in the late 1980’s. Ironically it was my old tutor Prof Kiberd who alerted me to the title in his review After Ireland.

[Tashia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to read,this book 📗 again I read too slowly,I agree that the lead character in the novel is spicy or spiky as the book's description reads,but I need to read this text again, I don't think felt the full feeling of sadness 😥 and regret,only a hint . I hope people, buy and read 📖 this book 📗 .

[Dyslexic Bookmonster]

So I was and still am confused regarding this book. I loved the prose, the characters and the setting, yet was I regularly confused by what was said or what was happening. I think what did not help in that regard is the fact that this wasn't a chronically written story.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth reading.