Deirdre: A Novella and Screenplay

by Mark Penney

A Storm-Born Flame in the Heart of the Great Hunger“The wind howled the night I was born… and it howls still in my blood.”In the blighted fields of 1847 Ireland, sixteen-year-old Deirdre is no mythic heroine—she is a girl forged in famine’s crucible, her auburn hair a banner of defiance, her bones sharp with hunger, her heart a furnace of love and loss. When the Great Hunger claims her mother, her brothers, and finally her home, Deirdre is bartered to a cruel English Earl to save her family from the coffin ships. Trapped in a gilded manor of silk and stone, she discovers a forbidden love with Naoise, a gardener whose gentle hands and fierce spirit kindle a fire that threatens to consume them both.From the rotting thatch of a starving cottage to the shadowed library where stolen kisses ignite rebellion, from the moonlit forest where a Red Deer stands as omen and guide to the dungeon where Deirdre’s blood writes her final vow—this is a tale of love that defies empires, sacrifice that outlives graves, and a mother’s unbreakable bond with the son she’ll never hold.Inspired by the ancient Irish legend of Deirdre of the Sorrows, Deirdre is a raw, lyrical retelling that pulses with the rhythm of Gaelic lullabies, the stench of blighted potatoes, and the metallic tang of blood on stone. It is a story of a girl who chooses death over chains, and a spirit that refuses to be caged.Includes the original screenplay—a haunting companion that brings Deirdre’s storm to the screen, with visceral dialogue, cinematic imagery, and the same unyielding heart.“Ní bheidh muid briste.”
We will not be broken.Perfect for fans of The Wonder, Black ’47, and The Pull of the Stars.

204 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2025

About the author

Mark was born in Wimbledon, London, and at an early age became devoted to animals of all shapes and sizes. Moving to South Africa at the age of 12 was a dream come true. After leaving school, he went into the commercial world, got married and only got into the bush for long weekends and holidays. Later, he left the commercial world, started studying again and completed a FGASA 2.

By the end of 1992, he was in the bush full time working at a number of lodges in various reserves and parks as a field guide. He also did conservation work with SANParks and the North West Parks and Tourism Board, which is where his true passion lies.