Listen in to ‘House on an Irish Hillside’

A BOOK, based on the heritage of a house near Ballyferriter, has been released as an audiobook after gaining recognition on both sides of the Atlantic.

‘The House on an Irish Hillside’, a memoir written by author Felicity Hayes-McCoy, explores the happenings in the house in Baile an Fheirteáraigh which at one time provided a space where people would gather, share stories and play music in the time honoured tradition of bothántaíocht.

Felicity released the book in July 2012 to great acclaim across Ireland, the UK and the USA. Following its success, Crimson Cats Audiobooks is publishing the unabridged audio version of the book, which is read by Felicity who is an actor as well as a writer. The recording also includes music – some traditional and some specially written – which is played on the concertina by Felicity’s husband, Wilf Judd, who is a classically trained musician and opera director.

The book documents Felicity’s childhood in Dublin and her first experiences of béaloideas as an Irish student in Cill Chúile. From there it follows her career in London and her return visits to Corca Dhuibhne where, 14 years ago, she and Wilf settled back west.

The hous that is the subject of the book was built in 1911 on the slopes overlooking Baile an Fheirtearaigh. Neilí Mhuiris Ní Chonchúir and her mother Bríd were the first to live there. Neilí subsequently married Paddy Martin, who was known an An Mairtíneach, and the house became a centre of bothántaíocht which welcomed people from far and wide.

This new audiobook is available as a six-CD set and is also available as an MP3 download.