Nancy goes back to her roots in North Clare

A recent publication about life in North Clare as seen through the eyes of a nine-year-old girl has been described as a book with a timeless quality.
Tir na nÓg tells of hard work, spirituality, neighbourliness, how the Celts and times long past have shaped our lives today and of the natural, old-fashioned ways of life that create a sense of being and community.
The author, Nancy Chambers, brings herself back to her childhood days when growing in Rockville House, Ballinalacken, with her family, who had moved from Dublin during the war years. They moved in with Nancy’s grandfather, Thomas Chambers, who was the headmaster of the local school. He was married to Jennie Crowe from Kilfenora.
Nancy says her brother was involved with Gaelic football in Lisdoonvarna but within a few weeks of a family gathering in the Hydro Hotel in Lisdoonvarna, he died.
She could not put him to rest and sometime later met a friend, Philip Ward, from Wales. She told him where she grew up and that she needed to get back to her roots, just to put her brother to rest. She and Phil travelled from Wales to North Clare for a day but they could not make the return journey as planned because of weather conditions. They had a day to spare and when talking to Philip in the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, she spoke about growing up in Ballinalacken. He said she should not be telling him, she should write it and this was where the book began.
As well as life in the Burren, Nancy also writes about the relationships with her grandparents. She describes how the world at war and how the resulting restrictions were felt over a long period of time. Many people visited her grandparents to share their worries, listen to the radio for the news updates and, as always, to have a cup of tea, a glass of sherry or a bottle of Guinness.
Nancy refers to learning how to look through the lens of a box camera and also talks about the meadow, the church, days in the bog, going hunting, the killing of the pig, summer drives to Kilfenora and the Celts and their origin.
Nancy left Ireland for Preston in England as a young adult and later married Bill. She became a teacher in craft and design and is now living in Bryncrug in Gwynedd, Wales.
Tir na nÓg was edited by Philip Ward, who is also living in Bryncrug. The book is available in shops in Ennis, Lisdoonvarna and Kilfenora or from the publisher, Choice Publishing and Book Services, Drogheda.