
Listen to the Land Speak
A journey into the wisdom of what lies beneath us
Manchan Magan(Author)
Gill Books (Publisher)
Published on 30. September 2022
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-0-7171-9259-5 (ISBN)
Description
Our ancestors developed a uniquely nature-focused society, centred on esteemed poets, seers, monks, healers and wise women who were deeply connected to the land. They used this connection to the cycles of the natural world - from which we are increasingly dissociated - as an animating force in their lives.
In this illuminating new book, Manchan Magan sets out on a journey, through bogs, across rivers and over mountains, to trace these ancestor's footsteps. He uncovers the ancient myths that have shaped our national identity and are embedded in the strata of land that have endured through millennia - from ice ages through to famines and floods.
Here, the River Shannon is a goddess, and trees and their life-sustaining root systems are hallowed. See the world in a new light in this magical exploration into the life-sustaining wisdom of what lies beneath us.
'We could do with a lot more characters like [Manchan] dotted about this world.' Irish Independent
'Manchan creates a gorgeous tapestry that lingers in the mind's eye.' Kerri Ni Dochartaigh
'Manchan['s] ... got some theories about the roots of the Irish language that are going to blow your head off ... an incredible storyteller.' Blindboy Boatclub
Manchan's passion for Ireland's ecological and poetic heritage is more urgently relevant than ever.' Darach O Seaghdha
In this illuminating new book, Manchan Magan sets out on a journey, through bogs, across rivers and over mountains, to trace these ancestor's footsteps. He uncovers the ancient myths that have shaped our national identity and are embedded in the strata of land that have endured through millennia - from ice ages through to famines and floods.
Here, the River Shannon is a goddess, and trees and their life-sustaining root systems are hallowed. See the world in a new light in this magical exploration into the life-sustaining wisdom of what lies beneath us.
'We could do with a lot more characters like [Manchan] dotted about this world.' Irish Independent
'Manchan creates a gorgeous tapestry that lingers in the mind's eye.' Kerri Ni Dochartaigh
'Manchan['s] ... got some theories about the roots of the Irish language that are going to blow your head off ... an incredible storyteller.' Blindboy Boatclub
Manchan's passion for Ireland's ecological and poetic heritage is more urgently relevant than ever.' Darach O Seaghdha
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Dublin
Ireland
Publishing group
Gill
Dimensions
Height: 219 mm
Width: 138 mm
Thickness: 36 mm
Weight
462 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7171-9259-5 (9780717192595)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Manchan Magan was a writer and documentary-maker. His groundbreaking book Thirty-Two Words for Field led the way for the recent revival of the Irish language. He wrote occasionally for the Irish Times, reported on travel for various radio programmes, and presented dozens of documentaries on issues of world culture for TG4, RTE and the Travel Channel. Manchan lived in an oak wood, with bees, hens, and occasionally pigs, in a grass-roofed house near Lough Lene, Co Westmeath. He passed away in October 2025.