Shamrock: Patrick and Brigid in Ireland

by Bern Callahan

The Roman Province of Britain 402 A.D.

Irish pirates kidnap young Patrick and sell him into slavery. He falls in love. He flees his master and returns home. Nothing there is as he remembers. The shame of his past haunts him. Eventually, the Pope sends Patrick back to Ireland on a mission to convert the Celts. Will the chieftains of Eire listen to Patrick or kill him?

Brigid, a druid's daughter, holds her love for Patrick across the years of their separation. She inherits her father's magic but is scorned by the court druids. In exile, along Ireland's cliffs, she waits for Patrick's return. Will Patrick's and Brigid's passion catch fire? Will a new day dawn, uniting the old ways with the new religion? Or....will the fires of magic be doused forever on the Emerald Isle?

Two hearts and the fate of Ireland hang in the balance.

288 pages, Paperback

Published February 8, 2022

About the author

Bern Callahan is a life long student of religion, history and theology. As a young man, he was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church. His training for ordination sharpened his love for history, philosophy and languages.


In his 30’s, Bern embraced Buddhism. In 2003, he completed a Tibetan 3-year meditation retreat, the traditional training for a meditation teacher. For many years he has served as a Meditation and Dharma teacher in both Buddhist and secular settings.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Bern Callahan's previous novel, The Secret Love Letters of St. Paul, some time ago and found in it a fascinating mixture of fiction and researched history - in the kind of detail one might expect from someone like Callahan who is, as his Goodreads bio says, a lifelong student of language, philosophy, and theology. That book was challenging, sometimes shocking, and riveting. So I am looking forward to Shamrock: Patrick and Brigid in Ireland. All the moreso because I already have an abiding interest with the history and traditions of Ireland, even more than I originally thought I did about St. Paul.

I have read the first two chapters and already I am pleased to find myself immersed into a world of high stress: the harshness of life in those times, the threat of an unknown wilderness, and of sudden death at the hands of raiders. As I read, I could hear echoes of Beowulf and its world of murderous monsters and a risk-laden lifestyle. As the village is attacked by Irish raiders and the young Patrick is swept away, we see the suddenness of change and the way a clear head and courageous heart is needed to survive. Of course, I only know the protagonist survives because I know who Patrick is. How he survives, and how he eventually becomes whom he becomes is what I am eager to learn.

One characteristic of Callahan's storytelling is evident straight away: his stories subtly foreshadow messages about kindness, balance, and heart, reminding us that even in times of the greatest danger, these are the qualities that keep us in contact with our humanity, and that the courage to survive and thrive has more to do with how we perceive others around us, even our enemies, than with strength, daring, or maybe even luck. I quickly find myself thinking about the world today, with its threats to life and to peace, and I am reminded that these crucial human qualities have always been with us and have always played an important role in human existence, down the ages.

I have my pre-order in and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this novel, and taking in the world that I know Bern Callahan will show me!

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

eARC received in exchange for honest review

Irish retellings are rare, but this may be the only retelling of St. Patrick on the market.
This tale was captivating and engaging from the start, and I ended up reading it in one sitting.
The love story of Patrick and Brigid is a tragic one as slavery rips him from her, only to have him return years later on a mission from the Pope to convert the lands. Can he merge his teachings with Brigits druidic magic and knowledge of the old ways.
Callahan's level of research and reading shines through in this book, truly excellent background work done.

The 5th century comes to life in this tale, and the trials and torments of slavery and the harsh lifestyles is written brutally and raw.
Both Patrick and Brigid were brought to life in a way that I had never considered before. Having grown up learning about them in primary school, making St. Brigit's crosses and playing in St. Patrick day marching band parades, this was a refreshing and interesting take.
Patrick isn't just the stoic, holy, humble man driving out the pagans, we meet him as a young boy, going through turmoils as a slave, but his charming, lively and courageous nature shines.
Brigit has always been a strong and independent woman in the stories, but in this she comes across as far more charismatic and strong than you would have thought.

The journey we are taken on is one of spiritual transformation and religious redemption, a story that will grip you, thrill you and have you flying through the pages.
Easily 4 stars and a must read for those who will enjoy Irish mythological retellings

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dramatic adventure tale, told by a skillful storyteller that brings the earthy 5th Centaury into full vivid presence. Captivating from the first chapter to the last, a tale of deep love and passion between Patrick and Brigid that ultimately weaves together the Celtic way of the Druids and three fold Godess with the still evolving faith of early Roman Christianity. How is it that an unarmed newly minted Bishop can overpower a fierce warrior culture of Chieftains, Kings and Druids? Therein lies the inner tale of Patrick’s gradual journey of deep emotional and spiritual transformation from a timid teen, captured as a slave, to a humble monk filled with guilt and shame, to a courageous spiritual warrior wielding only the power of his Bishop’s crosier. This is a tale we can all learn from, and I envision a future where St Patrick’s day could be celebrated by marathon communal readings of this tale, rather than by the drinking of green beer.

[Coleen Dailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a number of stories about St. Patrick but I really liked this one best. Although a novel, it gives a plausible explanation about how the Irish Catholic Church developed differently from the Roman Catholic Church at the beginning. Patrick, when he was a slave, fell in love with a young druidess and learned the old ways. When he returns as Bishop and is instructed by the Pope to convert the island to Christianity he reconnects with Brigid and makes a commitment to honor both the way of Christianity and the old ways. A really great read.

[Jan Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this interpretation of the lives of Patrick and Brigid. Callahan spins an intriguing yarn with a solid knowledge of early Christianity and how the Roman's were intelligent (if not always...well, Christian) in bringing one faith to a land which had a strongly embedded religion already.