Cé gur mór idir na scéalta ó thaobh ama agus stíl inste de, tá ceangal dlúth eatharthu.
Tá Saoirse agus Dar Lughdach araon in ísle brí mar gheall ar a gcuid oibre agus a saol i gcoitinne – cúrsaí grá a d’fheall orthu go háirithe. Ar chomhairle a máthar Neil agus a saoiste Liadán, toilíonn Saoirse trí lá a chaitheamh i mBrú Bhríde, ionad spioradáltachta ar láthair sheanmhainistir Naomh Bríd. Freastalaíonn sí ar cheardlann siceadhrámaíochta ina bhfuil na rannpháirtithe ag obair ar dhráma faoin scéal grá a bhí ann tráth idir Dar Lughdach agus an manach Dallán, agus an teannas idir Dar Lughdach agus a seanchara Naomh Bríd dá bharr.
Nochtann Saoirse a smaointe dúinn sa mhonalóg inmheánach a spreagann an t-ionad spioradáltachta agus an ceantar máguaird inti, agus sna litreacha a scríobhann sí chuig Dylan, a hiarleannán, agus Darena, éascaitheoir na ceardlainne. Insíonn Dar Lughdach a scéal dá bansclábhaí fad is atá siad ag feitheamh ar thoradh vóta na siúr-mhanach agus na mbráthair-mhanach chun a fháil amach an mbrisfear as a post mar mháthairab í nó an bhfágfar ann í.
There are two parallel stories in this novel: the story of Saoirse who is working in 2019 as an intern in an archaeological recruitment agency, and the story of Dar Lughdach (pronounced Dar Ludoch), who took over from Saint Brigid as Abbess of the mixed sex monastery founded by Brigid in the 5th century. Even though the two stories differ greatly time wise and style wise, they are intimately
connected.
Both Saoirse and Dar Lughdach are down in the dumps because of their work and life in general - disappointment in love in particular. On the advice of her mother, Neil, and her boss Liadán, Saoirse agrees to spend three days in Brú Bhríde, a spirituality centre situated on the site of Saint Brigid's original monastery. She takes part in a psychodrama workshop where the participants are working on a play about the love affair between Dar Lughdach and the monk Dallán and the ension between Dar Lughdach and her old friend Saint Brigid which happened as a result.
Saoirse reveals her thoughts through the internal monologue which the spirituality centre and the surrounding area inspires in her, as well as through the letters she writes to Dylan, her former lover, and Darena, the facilitator of the psychodrama workshop. Dar Lughdach tells her story to her bondswoman as they await the results of the vote of the monks and nuns which will decide whether
Dar Lughdach will remain in her job as Abbess or not.
Annette Byrne is originally from Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Ireland. She is currentlly living in Esnandes, a village on the west coast of France, near La Rochelle.
Coiscéim published her first novel Scaoilim Uaim Thú in 2019.
