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    An Irish Country Doctor
    An Irish Country Doctor
    An Irish Country Doctor
    Audiobook10 hours

    An Irish Country Doctor

    Written by Patrick Taylor

    Narrated by John Keating

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    An Irish Country Doctor from bestselling author Patick Taylor is a charming and engrossing tale that will captivate readers from the very first page—and leave them yearning to visit the Irish countryside of days gone by.

    Barry Laverty, M.B., can barely find the village of Ballybucklebo on a map when he first sets out to seek gainful employment there, but already he knows that there is nowhere he would rather live than in the emerald hills and dales of Northern Ireland. The proud owner of a spanking-new medical degree and little else in the way of worldly possessions, Barry jumps at the chance to secure a position as an assistant in a small rural practice.

    At least until he meets Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly.

    The older physician, whose motto is to never let the patients get the upper hand, has his own way of doing things. At first, Barry can't decide if the pugnacious O'Reilly is the biggest charlatan he has ever met, or the best teacher he could ever hope for. Through O'Reilly Barry soon gets to know all of the village's colorful and endearing residents, including:

    A malingering Major and his equally hypochondriacal wife;

    An unwed servant girl, who refuses to divulge the father of her upcoming baby;

    A slightly daft old couple unable to marry for lack of a roof;

    And a host of other eccentric characters who make every day an education for the inexperienced young doctor.

    Ballybucklebo is long way from Belfast, and Barry is quick to discover that he still has a lot to learn about the quirks and traditions of country life. But with pluck and compassion and only the slightest touch of blarney, he will find out more about life—and love—than he ever imagined back in medical school.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateJun 9, 2009
    ISBN9781427207050
    An Irish Country Doctor
    Author

    Patrick Taylor

    Patrick Taylor, M.D., was born and raised in Bangor County Down in Northern Ireland. Dr. Taylor is a distinguished medical researcher, offshore sailor, model-boat builder, and father of two grown children. He lives on Saltspring Island, British Columbia.

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    Reviews for An Irish Country Doctor

    4/5

    89 ratings24 reviews

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    • 4/5
      It took me surprisingly long to read this, things seemed to just keep getting in the way, but the good thing was that I could jump in and out of the story with no problem. It was a light, easygoing novel with a predictable (but fun) plot. Its a shinning example of an enjoyable read. And the medicine angle is pretty entertaining as well, not the entire focus of the story but vivid enough that it is like a character in itself. Characterization is the strong point of this novel; all the characters are vivid and believable, if not entirely original or super complex. A big part of their charm IS their simplicity; they are recognizable and believable people in an old time and out of the way place. It really captures the Spirit of not just the Irish Country side, but the country side in general. It makes you glad you were fortunate enough to visit it.
    • 4/5
      Now I've got to read the sequel to find out what happened to Deirdre!
    • 4/5
      An entertaining and enjoyable tale about a young Irish doctor just setting out to practice medicine. He agrees to give a trial run to practicing with an established doctor in the town of Ballybucklebo and learns a great deal about human nature and how to handle patients with patience and humor. I was reminded quite strongly of the James Herriot books, only with human patients instead of animal ones. And since I love the Herriot books, this was a good reminder!
    • 4/5
      This is a completely charming book. When young Doctor Barry Laverty comes to interview with Doctor Fingal Flahertie O'Reily, little does he know what he's getting into. Welcome to Ballybucklebo (if you can pronounce it you're one up on me), a small village in Northern Ireland in the mid 1960s. Full of all the quirky characters you would expect in a small Irish village. From the old Major and his wife who keep crying wolf to the young woman who finds herself in the family way all the odd-bodkin inhabitants are covered in this book. It really was a little Irish vacation reading "An Irish Country Doctor". I felt I was there in the room as we got to know each person you came to the doctor's surgery for medical help or just a kind ear. The story really captured how a small town GP is more than just a doctor, he really cares for all parts of his patients life. I can't wait to read the next in the series to find out what happens next in Ballybucklebo.
    • 4/5
      I stumbled on this title while browsing in the bookstore. I actually saw the second book in the series [An Irish Country Village] and saw that there was a first title. The book jacket compared it to Jan Karon and I have been seeking something similar to that series. I really enjoy series titles that you can get in to and follow over many years. Obviously, this is set in Ireland and in the early 1960's. I strugggled at first with some of the language, but the author provides a glossary of terms to help clarify the Irish dialect. The characters of Ballybucklebo are warm and charming. Taylor does a geat job of developing them and elliciting the reader's feelings for each. At the halfway point, I didn't plan on reading the second title, but as I finished it, I couldn't wait to start the next. I really wanted to know more about all of the characters and even more about Ballybucklebo.
    • 4/5
      Barry Laverty takes a position as an assistant to Dr. Fingal O'Reilly in the Irish village of Ballybucklebo. He is shocked by O'Reilly's unorthodox style but comes to understand the doctor's ways. He learns a few lessons about being a doctor and about love as he gets to know the colorful characters who reside in the village. It's a delightful visit to a small village in Northern Ireland.
    • 4/5
      This is the first in this really fun series. Think James Herriott without the animals. It's the story of Dr. O'reilly, the curmudgeonly but loveable small town GP who knows everyone and their secrets, and who isn't afraid to use placebos when he thinks they'll solve the problem. He is getting on in years, however, and the workload is increasing, so he advertises for an assistant. Enter Dr. Barry Laverty, fresh from medical school, full of book learning and under-tested people skills. The two strike up an immediate if grudging respect for their different styles, and Dr. L settles in. Like most small GPs of the era (probably mid 70's) the office (or surgery as it is called in Ireland) is co-located with the living quarters, ably presided over by the housekeeper-cook, Kinky Kincaid. The story is one of love, respect for people, and small town life. The adventures of the "Doctors Dear" as Kinky calls them, are heartwarming and just the things for a quick, loving read. If you liked Jan Karon's Mitford series, you'll love these.
    • 4/5
      Dr. Barry Laverty has finished medical school and searching for a location to hang out his shingle, answers an advertisement and heads to a small village in Ulster called Ballybucklebo. There Dr. Laverty is confronted with the town doctor who is looking for an assistant. Dr. O'Reilly is a larger than life character who proceeds to teach the younger man the nuances of treating the village residents.The amusing tales highlight the gentleness of the area - reverberating with the simple setting and the lack of the urban rush of most of our everyday lives. The characters and situations make you smile and often laugh - just a wonderful summer read. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      I intended to read this before St. Patrick's Day but the first half of March was hectic so here I am a little late. This was a charming book. I really liked how the young doctor, Barry Laverty, came to love working in Ballybucklebo, a small town in Ulster. He had his doubts at first, especially about the senior doctor, Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly. Dr. O'Reilly seems rather old school but Barry learns a lot from him. And to give Barry credit he teaches Dr. O'Reilly a few things too.This book reminded me a lot of James Herriot's books except the patients here are human. There is the same admiration for country life and country people. And there is the same humour, well-intentioned and never contemptuous. For a light read I recommend it. (As an added bonus, there are some delicious looking recipes at the back.)
    • 2/5
      Author attempts a James Herriot-ish tale, but doesn't succeed.
    • 4/5
      Patrick Taylor does for small town Northern Ireland what James Herriot did for Yorkshire. The village of Ballybucklebo and its somewhat eccentric inhabitants come alive through the eyes of young doctor Barry Laverty, who has just landed his first job as an assistant to the town's resident general practitioner, the larger-than-life Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly. The two doctors are faced with some daunting cases in the course of the book -- a seriously ill patient without adequate housing or any family to care for him, an unmarried and possibly pregnant young woman, and a chronic hypochondriac who for once just might have something wrong with him. Somehow everything comes out all right in the end. This is just the sort of novel that might inspire armchair travelers to book that trip to Ireland that they've always dreamed of.
    • 4/5
      This was a pleasant read or, in my case, listen. The audio version made a routine road trip pass quickly as I was pulled into the bucolic Irish countryside of a kinder, gentler era by the soothing Irish brogue of John Keating. Dr. O'Reilly mentors the young, know-it-all, Dr. Barry Laferty. Barry quickly learns that book knowledge doesn't necessarily translate well to a small-town medical practice. Quirky patients call for a creative kind of doctoring with a heavy dose of matchmaking thrown in for a happy ending.That is one of my small quibbles with this book. Everything is wrapped up just a little too neatly for me in a twee sort of way. Patrick Taylor has been compared to James Herriot without the animals. Well, with the exceptions of the comical Labrador Arthur Guinness and his feline nemesis, I missed the animals. I also missed the depth of Herriot's writing who could make me laugh and cry within the space of a few pages. Taylor made me smile and frown, but he's no James Herriot! Still, as I said in the beginning, Taylor provides a pleasant way to spend a few hours and I will be returning to the Irish countryside in his other books.
    • 4/5
      Laugh out-loud funny moments, eccentric characters, great rural flavor and a wonderful dog who drinks his own brand of ale, Smithwicks. This is a light enjoyable book - sometimes a bit too cute towards the end, but a perfect diversion.
    • 3/5
      A predictable but fun read. The character's are so endearing and Taylor's writing sucks you into the story.
    • 4/5
      Light and predictable, but pleasant. Covers a good deal of the same sorts of things as James Herriot's books, but with people patients rather than animals: learning the ways of the country folk, dealing with difficult patients, becoming fond of the area, the patients, the practice. Generally enjoyable, though at parts more than others--and I have to say that the country doctor in question--Barry Laverty--was sometimes incredibly slow on the uptake.
    • 3/5
      I agree with several of the other reviewers -- Taylor does skate awfully close to twee, but reined it in enough to save the book. There are the episodes familiar to the readers of any novel of the early career of a doctor – the eccentric old lady, the outdated but brilliant mentor, the hypochondriac who is, of course, really sick the one time he is ignored. But the episodes are put together very well, and it was a funny, fast read full of great characters including Dr. O’Reilly and especially his priceless housekeeper and her recipes (included in the end of the book). It IS vaguely reminiscent of Herriot without the animals, but crossed with an episode of St. Elsewhere. The clearest echo of All Creatures comes from Taylor’s admiration of the countryside and nostalgic depiction of lost time (in this case rural Ulster just before the “troubles” reignited).
    • 4/5
      Cozy Irish read--reminds me of James Herriot, but with human patients! Sweet.
    • 5/5
      Fabulous!! A new favorite author! Witty, fun and entertaining! Recommend!
    • 5/5
      It takes you to life in a town in Ireland where the main character is a doctor. It’s just a lovely story.
    • 4/5
      I continue to really enjoy this series -- Fingal now at war, learning his new duties. Dierdre onshore and the wedding still in the future. I really appreciate the depiction of life on the Warspite -- I had a headmaster who served as a gunner in WWII and suffered both hearing loss and lame leg because of it. This book gave me a new perspective on what his experience might have been like. Pretty awe-inspiring. One of the things about this series that I find completely fascinating is hearing more about the sexual realities of the various times that it's set in -- as a modern person, it's hard to imagine -- how did people deal with lack of contraception? How far did the "proper" folks go? Very interesting to see how that plays out, and I thought the sojourn in Alexandria with the swinging set was an interesting addition, if very uncomfortable to listen to.
    • 5/5
      It has been a while since my last visit to Ballybucklebo, and I frequently found myself wondering how Barry and Sue's romance was going, how Fingal and Kitty were settling into married life, and how the other residents of the village were doing. I finally pulled this book off the shelf and dove in. Like the book Fingal O'Reilly, Irish Doctor, this book bounces back and forth between the past and Fingal's current life. While the transitions aren't seamless, for the most part, they aren't jarring either.The story opened with the village preparing to celebrate the marriage of Kinky and Archie, and the many people who want to make it a memorable day. Fingal's skills as a peacemaker and negotiator became vital when battle lines were drawn between two groups over the proper way to decorate the church. I loved his common sense approach to bringing compromise to the combatants. The upcoming marriage made a good segue into the next chapter, which was a flashback to Fingal as he prepared to propose to his first wife, Dierdre. There is a romantic heart inside the sometimes gruff doctor, and I felt his frustration as his "right moment" got wrecked. But his Dierdre is not high maintenance, and I loved seeing her handle it all with ease and grace.For the modern side of the story, I always enjoy the adventures of Fingal, Barry, and the people of the village. It opened on a high note, with the wedding of Kinky and Archie. It was a beautiful ceremony, but as frequently happens in this village, there was a touch of excitement. Young Colin Brown brought an uninvited guest with him to the ceremony, a guest whose presence was not appreciated by the ladies. I had to laugh at the chaos and cheered as Kinky herself used humor and practicality to return peace to the day. Colin played an ongoing role in this book, as Fingal and Barry's girl, the schoolteacher, tried to find a way to show Colin's father that there was a wider world of opportunities available for Colin. Help with that came from a very unexpected source, leaving Fingal shaking his head in disbelief. The life of a country GP is never dull, and Fingal faced everything from German measles to gout to a medical mystery that was solved by reaching back into his wartime memories. He even brought Kitty along on one case, as the doctor and the midwife used their skills to bring a new life into the village. It's not all sunshine and roses for Fingal though when a blast from Kitty's past unsettled him. I ached a bit for Fingal, as he knew he was unreasonable, but he couldn't help it. I liked that he was smart enough to talk to his brother, who helped him through it. I was a little disappointed in not seeing Barry actually propose to Sue after all this time, but I look forward to seeing more of them in the future.The flashback part of the book was fascinating for me. Just as Fingal was settling into his work in Ballybucklebo, World War Two broke out, and he was called up. As a naval reservist, he was assigned to become a medical officer on HMS Warspite. Within hours of arriving on the ship, Fingal found himself delivering his first anesthetic for the senior surgeon doing an emergency appendectomy. Fingal was nervous, bordering on terrified as he began his duties, as he had no experience treating war wounds and there were more than a thousand men on that ship alone. But he learned quickly and did well. I enjoyed his insights into what went on around him, from witnessing the firing of the big guns to his feelings on the wasted lives. His descriptions of the battles were vividly portrayed, leading me to discover that the Warspite was a real ship and the actions described really happened. His times with Dierdre were few and far between, but their love was a source of strength for both of them. I did have a few bad moments while Fingal was in Egypt and the loneliness and a flirtatious Navy wife created some unexpected temptation. I loved seeing Fingal get to spend time with the ship's navigator, his friend Tom Laverty, who would eventually become Barry's father.I'm looking forward to the next book and getting to see more of the time that Fingal and Dierdre spent together, as well as the progression of life in the village of Ballybucklebo.
    • 4/5
      Re-read 2018This book looks more in-depth at Dr. O'Reilly's time on a warship during World War II. It also has some flash-forwards to the late 1960's in Northern Ireland which is the present day for this series. There are fewer patients seen in this book, with more of every day, non-work, issues taking over the narrative. While I enjoyed this book, I didn't like it as much as the earlier books in the series. I'm starting to get into the books that I haven't read before and hope that more of the doctor part of the series comes back.
    • 3/5
      The novel is set in Ulster in 1939 &1966. It follows the continuous story of Doctor Fingal O'Reilly from earlier novels in the series. In this volume, he serves in the Royal Navy with alternate chapters covering his service on the Battleship Warspite in 1940 with his work as a doctor in 1966 rural Ulster. Warspite was a real British vessel and the actions described in the battles O'Reilly experiences on board her are very accurate especially the work of the medical team saving wounded sailors. His descriptions of Alexandria, Egypt, the harbour they sailed from, are so clear one is able to almost smell the spices and camel dung.In the portions of the novel set in 1966, we meet the Doctor's new wife Kitty but he frequently tells about his first wife Deirdre. We learn she was killed but are not told how. Apparently this is to be revealed in the next novel in the series. We do meet many characters that populate the village of Ballybucklebo and they seek medical and emotional assistance from the doctor. As the author is a doctor, he is able to give vivid descriptions of medical procedures such as child birth or amputations.Lots of romance for those seeking a romantic read. I read it for the WW II descriptions but found the scenes set in the Irish village interesting too and assume them to be accurate as the author did come from there although he now lives on Saltspring Island, British Columbia.
    • 3/5
      I always enjoy this series. This "episode" is set in the 60's but flashes back to when he was a doctor in WWII on the "HMS Warspite." It also tells about his getting to know and becoming engaged to his first wife, Dierdre. It gives quite a bit of technical information about the ship he served on, but it is still pretty interesting. It intimates at the end that the story of his marriage to Dierdre was a story that couldn't/wouldn't be told right not, but would be told later. So, I guess we know what the next book is going to be about! I enjoyed it, as usual :)