Ireland's Forgotten Past: A History of the Overlooked and Disremembered

Reading Turtle's work feels like he's speaking to you, in his inimitable patois, in front of a roaring fire over a glass of good whisky. I like the fact some of the stories are inextricably linked with his own family history and he physically visits every last location he describes. This is a great starter for ten that feeds the soul, but you should also go on to read 1847, another of Turtle's recent works. Turtle is one of only a few authors I actually know, so I can hear his voice in my head when I read his works which is a total bonus. Try to imagine the friend you have with a great gift of the gab, backed up by forensic research and scholarship, writing a book. You would totally read it wouldn't you!

What an charming and engaging jaunt through some of the lesser known moments of Irish history. I started reading Ireland's Forgotten Past at breakfast and finished the final chapter that same evening. This is very much of the just-one-more-chapter-and-then-I'll-stop (which of course one couldn't) type with no little insight into the evolution of modern Ireland to go along with the quirky tales of men and women (and horses) down through the ages. The beautiful illustrations sit alongside the entertaining stories perfectly.

Loved this. I like to think I know a lot about Irish history but this quirky little book surprised and delighted me. The chapters are very short and accessible - written in a lively, punchy style with equally lively line drawn illustrations. A delightful book to dip into. A perfect book to give as a present.

Some fascinating stories of a forgotten Ireland - things we never learned about at school!Very enjoyable and "unputdownable" !

Bought this as a present for an Irish friend. He loved it.

This book is full of history that we had no idea about. It’s a lovely book.

Enjoyable but didn’t excite me.

Interesting read.