Why a Booktrail?
1979: In 1979, as violence erupts all over Ireland, two outsiders travel to a small island off the west coast
The Colony
What you need to know before your trail
Mr Lloyd has decided to travel to the island by boat without engine – the authentic experience.
Unbeknownst to him, Mr Masson will also soon be arriving for the summer. Both will strive to encapsulate the truth of this place – one in his paintings, the other by capturing its speech, the language he hopes to preserve.
But the people who live on this rock – three miles long and half-a-mile wide – have their own views on what is being recorded, what is being taken and what is given in return. Soft summer days pass, and the islanders are forced to question what they value and what they desire. As the autumn beckons, and the visitors head home, there will be a reckoning.
Travel Guide
And island off the west coast of Ireland
An idyllic island fishing community off the west coast of Ireland……
The island in the novel is nameless but it is very well evoked. You feel as if you have joined these people in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. There’s on;y 92 people on board and two of these are very interesting – a landscape artist who is there to capture the island’s natural beauty and to paint the seabirds and cliffs amongst other things. This is one very unique place and he is keen to capture it. There’s also a linguist who is studying why and how only Gaelic is spoken on the island.
The novel looks at the impacts of colonisation and what British involvement in politics could and does mean.
BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Colony
Destination/Location: Ireland Author: Audrey Magee Departure: 1979
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