An Irish Country Practice

Irish Country #12

by Patrick Taylor

An Irish Country Practice is the twelfth heartwarming installment in New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling author Patrick Taylor's beloved Irish Country series.

Once, not too long ago, there was just a single Irish country doctor tending to the lively little village of Ballybucklebo: Doctor Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly. Now his thriving practice is growing by leaps and bounds.

Not only has O'Reilly taken a new trainee under his wing, Doctor Connor Nelson, he's also added a spirited Labrador puppy to his ever-expanding household at Number One Main Street. Meanwhile, his trusted partner, young Doctor Barry Laverty, finds himself wondering if he's truly ready to settle down and start a family with his lovely fiancee, Sue.

As the doctors cope with domestic and professional challenges, they also look after their patients and their ailments, including a mysterious cough, a housewife whose frequent "accidents" may have a disturbing cause, and a respected colleague who might be succumbing to an old vice.

All is not sickness and worry, however. There's plenty of joy and merriment to be found as well, from a visiting circus to racing to sailing . . . and maybe even a happy ending or two.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Ireland, Audiobook, Irish Literature, Historical, Adult Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published October 10, 2017

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

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh boy, another visit to Ballybucklebo in the 1960s. Fingal O’Reilly, M.D., and his partner, Barry Laverty, M.D., have a new trainee, Connor Nelson, M.D.

The book is well written and supplies a great view of a Northern Ireland Village. The story has humor, drama, and gossip as the daily life is told. I have enjoyed this series. I read the first few books, but then switched to the audiobook format. I much prefer this as John Keating is so good with all the various accents and, of course, the pronunciation of some Irish words. I am looking forward to the next book.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is thirteen hours thirty-five minutes. John Keating does an excellent job narrating the story. Keating is an actor, voice artist, and an Earphone Award winning audiobook narrator.

[Obsidian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reduced my rating on this one. The re-read was just painful. Probably because Barry hits peak insufferable in this one. He decides all of a sudden he is not sure about having children. The book deals with his nonsense for way too long. If he was feeling hesitant about being a father it should have been brought up in earlier books. This seriously had me feeling like Barry was replaced by a pod person.

Previous review.
Ehh I dithered about this one, but honestly it had so many things wrong with it, I could not enjoy it much. I think that's because Barry sucked a lot in this one and we had random plot devices used to get rid of a romance and a character that has been around for several books. I usually enjoy these books and the village of Ballybucklebo, but ultimately think this was just a so-so installment in the Irish Country series.

In "An Irish Country Practice" Barry and Fingal are dealing with different things.

Barry is becoming increasingly nervous about marrying his fiancee Sue Nolan due to her wanting children and Barry being hesitant about being a father. If you are wondering where this random divergent interest thing came from, you are not the only one. Up until the last book there has been no mention of Barry not wanting children. I at least understood why he was hesitant in the last book due to being concerned about bringing children into a world that is dealing with so many awful things. But this book he turns into Ebeneezer Scrooge and decides that he doesn't like kids and was really nasty towards one of them to the point I really wish that Sue had dumped Barry's butt.

Fingal is agreeing to take on a trainee and to help with having GPs certified. It's not that interesting. He also has to help out his colleague Fitzpatrick who develops an addiction to betting (that comes out of nowhere) and realizes that one of the village women is being beaten by her spouse. None of the stories were satisfactorily resolved to me. I mean they were resolved, but resolved with what I called hand-waving writing to not have to really deal with what Taylor sets in motion in this book. We also still have Fingal wanting Kitty to retire and is going around "subtly" trying to make her see how much more appealing it would be if she stayed home. I can honestly say that I don't even get why Fingal wants Kitty to retire just so she can sit around and be outdoors with him while he still has plenty of work? I hope she doesn't retire. Between Fingal and Barry I wanted to kick both of them in the shins for how they were acting in this one.

The main reason why I liked this one is that there are callbacks to the villagers in this one. We forget it's been about 3 years or so since Barry has started working with Fingal, so we follow up with some of his earlier patients and some we have not heard from since "An Irish Country Christmas."

The writing (medical) I will just say was okay. I just thought the issues which Taylor tried to delve into in this one didn't make a lot of sense at all with the overall story structure.

The ending was just okay and I was very annoyed we only hear about Barry's wedding in the afterword written by Kinky Kincaid (now married and I can't even remember her married name).

[Paul Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

“As the World Turns” at One Main Street in 1960s Ballybuckleboo, Ireland

Fans of Patrick Taylor’s magnificent IRISH COUNTRY DOCTOR series certainly won’t be disappointed with his continuing servings of life, love, medical practice, sickness and worry, joy and merriment, happiness and grief, drama and melodrama, sadness and humor in the 12th in a series that just keeps on giving! The trials, tribulations, and realities of medical practice in mid-20th century Ireland are related in a series of vignettes through the novel. At the same time, the much-loved cast members, old friends and family all (augmented by a new trainee, Dr Connor Nelson) continue to live, love, grow, entertain and enthrall readers.

This is an astonishing series with marathon legs that seem to be giving no indication of weakening or tiring. I’m a confirmed fan and Patrick Taylor may count on me coming back for more. Definitely recommended.

Paul Weiss

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest book in the Irish Country series, though book 14 will be out soon. In this one there's a new trainee to show the ropes, with more coming in the future at the request of one of the local teaching hospitals. Doctor Laverty is looking for a house for him and his soon to be wife while dealing with doubts of wanting to have children in their future. There's a huge issue with Number One Main Street with the county wanting to take it so they can widen the roads in the area due to more use. There are surprise twins, new puppies, and possible domestic violence to sort out. As well as many more issues that everyone seems to know about in the small community. I really loved this one, it seemed to finally be back to the style of the first few books in the series that make me a fan.

[Christopher Roden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick Taylor never fails to deliver.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I need a warm hug, I grab an Irish Country Doctor audiobook. I’m 12 books in & lovingly invested in the inhabitants of Ballybucklebo.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Finn O'Reilly confronts more of the ups-and-downs of a country GP practice in Northern Ireland in 1967. Marriage and the question of whether/when to have children is on the mind of his partner, Dr. Barry Laverty. Finn wonders whether to take on a Senior medical student (trainee) to observe and learn about the practice. There's the question of Dr. O'Reilly's slowing down a bit, taking more time off, spending more time with his wife Kitty. The myriad medical questions that surface in a day's work: how to protect a battered wife, a smoker's lung which has to be removed, the discussion of porphyria, a rare reaction to barbiturates, and a childbirth with its own set of surprises. And, through it all, there's the wonderful love and generosity of the people of this small village, Ballybucklebo. All in all, a delight.

I read this EARC courtesy of Edelweiss and Forge Books; pub date 10/10/17

[Gail Amendt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always nice to visit the quaint village of Ballybucklebo, where troubles happen, but good always prevails in the end. This installment sees a new trainee doctor added to the practice, of whom we didn't see enough in my opinion, and I hope he will figure more prominently in future books. A rather dull story line with Barry drug on just a bit too long, but was resolved satisfactorily in the end. I always prefer Fingal's story lines to Barry's as he's just a more interesting character. The medical crises that were encountered were interesting as always, but it drives me crazy that the author alludes to them in his author's notes at the beginning of the book, thus ruining the element of surprise for me. The author's note definitely needs to be moved to the end if that's what he's going to do. All of this was made up for by the afterword by housekeeper Kinky. I love that she always gets the last word, and I love seeing events through her eyes. This wasn't the best book of the series, but it kept me entertained, and I will definitely be visiting Ballybucklebo again very soon.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10.

[Duckpondwithoutducks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasons why I am becoming disenchanted with this series:

- I am all for wrapping up loose story ends, but the one plotline dealing with an abusive husband was just too pat. Someone who beats his wife isn't going to stop because of one interview where he is threatened with bad consequences if he does it again. Such behaviour is too engrained. He will only stop if he wants to and makes a concerted effort to overhaul his thinking and personality. It is much more likely that the abuse will continue in secret, or that he will treat his wife even worse after receiving that unwanted harangue.

- Stop overexplaining! At one point in the story, someone crosses they're fingers. Most people know what that means. And on the off chance they didn't, they could figure it out from the context, or look it up. But the author digresses to explain what that means. Often, in the novel, one character is explaining something to another character and the first stops to check that the other understands what they are saying so far. It feels as if the author keeps saying to the reader - do you understand what I am saying? Yes! Yes, I do, so keep on with the story, stop checking to see that I am following.

- The references to the popular culture of the day (the novel is set in the sixties) are a little too blatant. It feels as if the author wants us to notice, "See what I am doing here, I'm talking about this book/song/movie that was current back then, but now is in the past. Cool, huh?" But the way he references them often doesn't feel natural. He will have a character say, [insert movie name here] is playing starring [actor name] and [actor name]. I never talk about movies that way, and seldom hear others do. As an example, I would not say to a friend, "Little Women starring Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet is out December 25." I would just say, "Hey, there's a new version of Little Women coming out. Do you want to go see it with me?"

- The plotline involving two characters who are about to get married, but haven't discussed whether they want children and find that their views on that differ doesn't seem entirely realistic. That is normally something you discuss a little earlier in the relationship. It also seemed a trifle strange that the one character asked somebody to marry them, but didn't want children, as most marriages in that place and time produced children.

- The character of Kinky Kincaid seems to me to fall too much into the trope of long-time family servant who only finds meaning in their work and is offended by the idea of working less. But, Kinky has her own house, plus the doctor's to look after, and that's a lot of work, and she isn't young. Both my mom and my mother-in-law were homemakers and loved entertaining, but now that they are in their sixties and seventies, they have health issues and arthritis in their hands, and they just can't do as much as they did before, and want to slow down. That is real life.

Sorry, this review is pretty snarky sounding. I'm still going to read the next book!

[Marci - · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series so much!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read and thoroughly enjoyed every single one of the Irish Country Doctor series, and this was number 13! This one takes place in 1967, in our fictional town in Northern Ireland, Ballybucklebo. If you are interested in Ireland, history, or medicine, you will love this series! Normally I listen to this on audio, and HIGHLY recommend the audible version if you can get your hands on it. The accents are done perfectly by the narrator. This time I actually read the book because the wait to get the audible book from the library was insanely long. It was still wonderful, even in print form. Can't wait for the next one!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the audio of this book. I hadn't realized it was a series, but I'll go back and catch up. I enjoyed the doctors and the people in the village. Makes you wish you could visit.

[Laura Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this book centers on Barry and he is not my favorite character, I enjoyed Book 12 much better than the previous one. It might be because all of the side stories were so interesting (Anne Galvin, the Millers, Lars and Myrna, Hester Doran).

Of course, since it did focus on Barry much of it annoyed me. I have to say, he is awfully naive when it comes to women. First when dating Patricia Spence, a woman supremely focused on becoming an engineer, he assumed she would chuck it all to the wayside in order to move to the tiny village of Ballybucklebo and be his wife. Now with Sue Nolan, he's somehow surprised that she, a teacher who loves kids, would want to have children once married.

Barry sure was acting like the stereotypical "only child" (Not that I think all only children fit the bill. My dad and my niece were/are only children and they didn't/don't act spoiled rotten.). He was a real jerk at the circus. Yes, the boy ate too many sweets, but how often is a kid from a disadvantaged home financially indulged so much? Sonny certainly bears some responsibility for giving Sammy so many sweets, a truth never acknowledged by Barry (a truth I kept waiting to be acknowledged to no avail). Not to mention, Barry's a real jerk for placing all the blame on a kid whose mother just got out of the hospital. He's also a real ass when it comes to Max, Sue's dog. Poor Patricia Spence (or should I say lucky) really dodged a bullet.

Patrick Taylor might need a better editor, too. At the beginning of the book, it says Lewis Miller is 82. Then later on after he dies, his wife says he is 75. Also, either at the beginning of the book (or in the previous book, I can't remember), the Miller's state they are celebrating their 50th anniversary only to have it changed to 60th later on. Gracie Miller's age is stated as 70. Um, if so, and they are celebrating their 60th anniversary, she would have been 10 years old when marrying. This foul-up was really annoying. Taylor has aged some characters too quickly (Colin Brown, for example) over a span of books, but switching ages so drastically in the same book was a little too much for me.

Despite these numerous drawbacks, I did enjoy the book. As I said, the side stories were interesting. I was a little surprised that Fingal never guessed the true meaning for Hester's injuries and had to remind myself, the story is set in 1967, a simpler time when even someone like Dr. Fingal O'Reilly might still be naive about such dark things occurring in people's lives. Also, Kinky was wise to keep secret her plan of donating money to someone in need. Not only is remaining anonymous admirable, it saved her and Archie from people trying to sway her to one cause or another. It was also nice to focus on other characters aside from Fingal. I love Fingal, but the other characters were really shoved into the background over the previous three or four books.

[Spuddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listen to the audio versions of all this series of books which really adds to the enjoyment. The reader is excellent with voices and with remembering the voices/inflections of the various characters so you can tell instantly who's speaking. It's been great to follow the characters personally and professionally in this saga set in post-WW II Ireland, although some books do drift back in time to wartime and the older characters' involvement in it. The medical aspects are interesting to me as a nurse--man, I thought I was old and remember some things we did 40 years ago that seem archaic now, but of course this pre-dates my early nursing days by decades which makes it even more interesting. Just plain enjoyable to read/listen to--one of my go-to series when I need something calming and/or for a pick-me-up.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Once, not long ago, there was just a single Irish country doctor tending to the lively little village of Ballybucklebo, Doctor Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly. Now his thriving practice is growing by leaps and bounds.

"Not only has O'Reilly taken a a new trainee under his wing, Doctor Connor Nelson, he's also added a spirited Labrador puppy to the ever-expanding household at Number One Main Street. Meanwhile, his trusted partner, young Doctor Barry Laverty, finds himself wondering if he's truly ready to settle down and start a family with his soon-to-be bride, Sue.

"As the doctors cope with domestic and professional challenges, they also look after their patients: a woman who has a mysterious cough; a housewife whose frequent 'accidents' may have a disturbing cause; and a respected colleague who may be succumbing to an old vice.

"Despite sickness and worry, there's plenty of joy and merriment to be found in Ballybucklebo, from a visiting circus to racing to sailing ... and maybe even a happy ending or two."
~~front flap

It's the same old plot, only the names are changed. So why is it so comfortable and welcoming? Despite crises and reversals, it's a town filled with joy and respect, even love. And who wouldn't want to live in a village like that?

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The medical practice at Ballybucklebo is growing and the doctors are kept busy with the usual problems found in a small country village in Ireland. The book recounts the relationships in the community that hold it together. Through the difficult problems and the joyful ones, the community comes together to help and support one another. Dr Barry is planning to marry but is having second thoughts of ever becoming a father. His fears subside when his patients offer encouragement and faith in him. A heartwarming tale of camaraderie between a GP and his patients.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series. Ballybucklebo sounds like a wonderful place to live, and Dr. O'Reilly makes sure everyone gets what they need - medically and personally. He has such a sense of fair play mixed perfectly with humor and kindness. I love the quirky villagers and familiar characters we visit in each book. I especially enjoy the ongoing storylines with the regulars and their lives. So happy to see Barry and Sue find the happiness they deserve and look forward to meeting their brood of children in future installments!

[Micheale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy my “visits” to Balleybucklebo and this was no exception.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always nice to be back in Balibucklebo! It is especially nice to get the true Irish flavor through audible.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish I had discovered the glossary in the back sooner but it was fun to try and figure out the Irish phrases and idioms! Good read about relationships and good neighbors.

[Taryn Spearey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome! even though some parts of thus frustrated me, much of it was still enjoyable to me.

Barry Laverty is getting ready to marry Sue Nolan. However, he's having some reservations about becoming a father.

I can see where Barry's fear comes from. I was happy to see him come around to the idea of becoming a father.

I loved seeig Fingal get a new puppy, Kenny. I like how well he and Arthur Ginnuse get along.

I believe i'm almost done with tis series and still loving it!!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this latest installment in Patrick Taylor's Irish Country series :) A bit of angst mixed with the charm of a small Irish village. This series reminds me of Jan Karon's Mitford series but with an Irish twist. I' looking forward to the next one to see what happens with a few of the story lines that begin in this book! #lefthanging

[Lynnette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I caught an editing error or two in this one, but I am still enjoying the characters and their stories in this series: the comedic antics, the medical tales, the ups and downs of relationships, and the Irish beliefs and customs.

[Doris Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Read the whole series

[Sharone Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another lovely installment in the series, with lots more of Dr. Barry Lafferty in it, which is what I've been waiting for. Barry and Sue look for a home as they prepare for their wedding. But then they differ over the topic of having kids and Sue wants to take a break.

This book has an emphasis on women patients and some on women's rights. Is one patient merely accident-prone or is her husband beating her? You'll have to read this one to find out.
More fun stuff: Fingal gets a puppy, and Donald sets up a raffle on his wife's due date!

The book ended with Barry toasting to his beloved Ballybucklebo in a beautiful toast that could signal the end of this fun series. Let's hope not.

A bit of a pet peeve of mine (and it seems to get worse with every book) is the constant bombardment with trivia from our wonderful Patrick Taylor. We used to get a scene with a bit trivia, say in the doctor's car or when they have a quiet drink at home. Now you can't pass a rock without knowing its history. Too much trivia distracts from the scenes, plain and simple. Dear Pat: Edit, edit, edit!

[Paula Dembeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time goes on and with it changes continue at Number One Main Street in Ballybucklebo. Fingal O’Reilly is getting older as is his wife Kitty and even faithful and energetic Arthur Guinness is feeling his age these days.

The practice of medicine is also evolving. Fingal looks back on the days when Barry first arrived as his assistant in 1964. Now he not only has a partner but also an assistant and an associate. General Practice has become recognized as a specialty and Fingal has been approached by Professor George Irwin to take on a trainee. Fingal realizes this would initially slow him down like the time he spent with Barry when he first arrived. But once the trainee could work independently and take call, Final would have more time off. Fingal is willing to support any initiative that improves service to his patients and so he agrees, welcoming Dr. Connor Nelson to Number One Main Street. Dr. Nelson is a man in his late twenties and is older than most new graduates, a man who has overcome childhood polio and poverty to get through medical school. He has a hesitancy in his speech, a problem which interfered with the delivery of his sermons and dashed his first career as a lay preacher. But undaunted, Connor simply considered it another problem to overcome. Fingal is impressed by the way he shares his achievements without boasting. He appears to be an honest and determined man with a disarming and natural modesty. Coming from a working class background in the back streets of Belfast, Dr. Nelson has been exposed to a range of medical and social issues often not experienced in a rural setting. It is not long before he proves his worth with the diagnosis of one of O’Reilly’s long standing patients.

Fingal’s home and practice was recently threatened by proposed construction of a new road, but even with the issue finally settled, there are still forces at work delaying the project. The Ministry has been slow issuing permits and Bertie has been forced to lay off his workers including Donal. Mindful of responsibilities to put food on the table for his growing family, Donal, “carpenter, fixer of greyhound races, and abstract decorator of bicycles”, can always be counted on to find ingenious ways to bring in some cash. This time he creates a lottery taking bets on the day Julie will deliver their new baby and creates an ingenious scheme to attract the marquis’ pheasants to his dining table. Donal is well aware he is hunting out of season and that can result in dire consequences but is determined not to be caught at this rather effective way to fill his larder.

Barry and Sue are looking forward to their wedding although they are disappointed they will not be able to purchase the bungalow they both love. Sue is a wonderful teacher but is also looking forward to becoming a mother. Talk of children has Barry having second thoughts, unsure about fatherhood. He is devoted to Sue but finds the prospect of fatherhood daunting. As a doctor he is perfectly relaxed with children but having grown up an only child, he has little understanding of child rearing. A sudden and angry comment while they are spending a day at the circus puts him in deep trouble with his fiancée and Barry suddenly is in danger of losing the woman he loves.

Lars and Myrna’s relationship continues but their differences may be too great for them to overcome. Lars has completed all the necessary paperwork to have the Marquis’ estate transferred to the National Trust and Myna has recently bought Lars a three month old chocolate lab named Kenny. Lars likes the puppy but is allergic to dogs and knows he must let the puppy go. He invites Fingal and Kitty to visit and they fall in love with the delightful black bundle of energy. A medical emergency seals the transfer of Kenny to Fingal and Kitty and this way Myrna’s gift stays in the family. With Arthur Guinness aging, both Fingal and Kitty are eager to welcome a new dog into the family. Arthur welcomes the puppy and quickly shows his parental instincts although Lady Macbeth has different ideas and greets Kenny’s arrival with a look of disdain. Fingal immediately enrolls the puppy in the Arthur Guinness School of Animal Training and the puppy proves to be a quick study.

Ronald Fitzpatrick is now a member of the combined on call schedule in the practice but although he is usually a dry and reserved man he has suddenly begun to emerge as more sociable and friendly. When he arrives at the pub one evening unfit to take call, Fingal must quickly and firmly take matters in hand.

Taylor shares the details of several medical problems Barry, Fingal and Connor encounter with their patients and tries to help his readers understand the complex issues they face making a diagnosis and initiating treatment. At times those details can be overwhelming for some readers as Patrick’s previous more simple explanations seem to have now gone by the wayside. One must admire Fingal, a physician who believes his calling requires him not just to treat colds, flu and broken bones but to care for the people themselves. At times he seems to carry the whole village on his shoulders.

Kinky continues to do her magic in the kitchen and it is never a good idea to read these books when you are hungry. You will soon be driven straight to the kitchen to satisfy the stomach grumblings that result.

I continue to enjoy the ongoing story lines and have long been a fan of the series. These are quiet, enjoyable and easy reads but the series needs a “good bump up” to keep it fresh and interesting. It is beginning to lag a little.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read and loved all The Irish Country novels. I love and admire Fingal Flagherty O'Reilly and all the inhabitants of Ballybucleboo......but this latest novel was a disappointment 😪
In my opinion it was too heavy on medical terminology and explanations. I don't want to be a doctor,I want to spend time with Kinky, Barry,Donel and all the other loveable characters in this amazing village.
Mr. Taylor next time please, less medical lesson more story line.
Still love you lots.

[Kent Woodger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read ten books about Dr. Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly and consider most of them wheeker and I don’t want to teach his granny to suck eggs and I’m not stocious or spare nor do I wish to sicken one’s happiness so between the jigs and the reels I’ll just say this book offers nothing new or better.

[Simonew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it . Cried with this one ! Love the cast of characters in Ballybucklebo !! The stories just get better and better , but maybe that is because
I can “see” and imagine the surrounding and the people in the story !!