The Dispossessed

The Dispossessed is an historical novel set in Ireland in the middle of the 17th century, when Cromwell and his troops destroyed the Gaelic aristocracy and seized their lands. The survivors were given the option of 'To Hell or Connacht.' The plot is built round Fergal O'Breslin, one of the dispossessed who chose Connacht, and his clan. They are forced to eke out an existence in the barren landscapes of the west. They take whatever sustenance they can from the land and go on raiding parties, taking what they need to survive. The clans fight among themselves and fight the English troops whenever contact is made. This is a tale that recreates an important era in Irish history that has never been forgotten and explains some of the lingering anti-British sentiment that exists to this very day.