The Friendship of Scholars

The Friendship of Scholars by Rosie Nee This novel recreates, in a fictionalised form, an unusual story set in the unrelenting tragedy of seventeenth century Ireland. Roderic O'Flaherty grows up in Moycullen Co Galway to become a renowned antiquarian. Why does the Gaelic heir of West Connacht follow this unusual path? What brings the young boy under the influence of two scholars in the west: the priest and classicist John Lynch of Galway city and the ollamh of the seanchas Dubhaltach Óg Mac Fhirbhisigh of Lecan on Killala bay in Co Sligo? And in what way do they collaborate in Galway during the years before the city is occupied by the Cromwellians? Whatever the answer to these questions may be, all we can know nowadays is that this remarkable friendship matured in the passing Gaelic world and ultimately bequeathed to modern scholarship the unique legacy of their various works.