Rainsongs

A poignant story of transformation, conjuring the rugged beauty of County Kerry’s coastline, by an award-winning writer. Newly widowed, Martha Cassidy has returned to a remote cottage in a virtually abandoned village on the west coast of Ireland for reasons even she is uncertain of. Looking out from her window towards the dramatic rise of the Skelligs across the water, she reflects on the loss of Brendan, her husband and charming curator, his death stirring unresolved heartache from years gone by. Alone on the windswept headland, surrounded by miles of cold sea, the past closes in. As the days unfold, Martha searches for a way forward beyond grief, but finds herself drawn into a standoff between the entrepreneur Eugene Riordan and local hill farmer Paddy O'Connell. While the tension between them builds to a crisis that leaves Paddy in hospital, Martha encounters Colm, a talented but much younger musician and poet. Caught between its history and its future, the Celtic Tiger reels with change and Martha faces redemptive choices that will change her life forever. AUTHOR: Sue Hubbard is an art critic, novelist and poet. Her writing has appeared in The New Statesman, The Independent, The Times, The Guardian, and other publications. She has contributed to many arts programmes, including Kaleidoscope and Night Waves. She was awarded a major Arts Council Literary Award and is the twice winner of the London Writers’ Award.