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An Irish Country Doctor: A Novel Audiobook
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(4.00) - 776 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
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.
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"Another entertaining episode in this delightful series. Here we get the back story of O'Reilly's student days and his beginnings with Kitty. We find out about his family -- especially his relationship with his father -- and how things developed on his path to becoming the man and doctor he is by 1964 when we first meet him (in The Irish Country Doctor). However, there are still many unanswered questions will be fodder for more installments....... looking forward to the next one."
— Dell (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Narrator John Keating has a field day with the humor, long-winded stories, and colorful accents...[Keating] skillfully presents the unique and sometimes-hilarious Irish take on joy, sorrow, illness, and death.
— AudioFile -
Welcome to the colorful Northern Ireland community of Ballybucklebo where there's always something brewing beneath the Village's deceptively sleepy surface. Fans of Karon's Mitford series will enjoy this.
— Smoky Mountain Sentinel
An Irish Country Doctor Listener Reviews
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hannah koonce, 9/19/2023
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" A gentle read. "
— Tracey, 1/28/2014 -
" I did not know this was the prequel to a poular series about an Irish country doctor. It was a decent enough read but sometimes I had to force myself to continue reading it. I found the medical part of the novel more interesting than the characters. "
— Lynn, 1/26/2014 -
" this was a great story about a young lad and his mates growing up in dublin, going to medical school. good family story, love story, and success story. apparently the previous books should have been read first so now i will start at the beginning! lol. "
— leigh, 1/20/2014 -
" The previous one of this series, Irish Country Girl, was not very enjoyable. I felt perhaps the series had run its course for me, but I liked this book. It filled in a lot of background for Dr. O'Reilly. Yes, there was perhaps more about medical cases then I needed to hear, but since my dad was a doctor, I was used to that. "
— Lartemis, 1/20/2014 -
" Charming, interesting & heart warming. "
— Robin, 1/19/2014 -
" A good addition to the series and great background to Dr. O'Reily; really enjoyed it! "
— Matthew, 1/18/2014 -
" Excellent series, like Herroitt except with people. "
— Evonne, 12/13/2013 -
" Loved it, as I have all the Irish Country novels. "
— Amy, 11/8/2013 -
" Enjoyed all Irish country series , just started 6tg one today. "
— Barb, 9/30/2013 -
" Great to see how Dr. O'Reilly got his start. Medicine sure has changed since he trained. :) "
— Kathy, 9/10/2013 -
" The Best of the Irish Country novels so far. It filled in a lot of holes in the Dr. Fingal O'Reilly history. I'm hoping the next one will cover his WWII years. "
— Janelle, 8/15/2013 -
" nice story; intend to read more of Patrick Taylor. "
— Kathy, 8/2/2013 -
" Starts off with a bang. I hung on page by page as the story drew me in to see what happened next. I am honestly wondering what the next installment will bring. "
— Lisa, 7/31/2013 -
" Another great book by Mr. Taylor. This one, while written in 2011, goes back in time to tell the story of the young doctor as a student. Basically, what made him into the doctor he is today. Love the Irish...love this book. "
— Sue, 7/31/2013 -
" Great book that adds to the story line behind all the Irish County books. Great to get some background on a character. "
— Dona, 11/28/2012 -
" a great book. think am going to reread the ones i have already enjoyed "
— Louie, 9/12/2012 -
" This was my first foray into the world of Irish doctors and I enjoyed it. Planning on reading some of the other books in the series! "
— Carolyn, 9/8/2012 -
" Easy reading. I know Dublin well so I liked being able to visulise the different areas "
— Iris, 5/22/2012 -
" A bit long with lots of medical explanation, but fun to read after having read the rest of the series. Also interesting to read about medicine just prior WWII, no penicillin, just learning about new surgical procedures and antiseptics, etc. "
— Mickie, 3/25/2012 -
" I'll be really sad when I catch up to Patrick Taylor -- very wonderful, comforting books. "
— Terry, 12/28/2011 -
" Done. They are gentle reads with some irritating characters. "
— Mary, 7/17/2011 -
" not one of his better books "
— Sue, 12/22/2010 -
" Enjoyed the series. Awaiting the next chapter in this series. "
— Denise, 10/5/2010 -
" Delightful and thought provoking story of a young man studying to be a physician. he learns to see the patient as more than just symptoms and acknowledges that their surroundings and lifestyle can affect their health. he uses his influence to help some of them rise up to a higher station in life. "
— Rena, 9/19/2010 -
" My favorite in the series so far!! "
— Angela, 11/9/2009 -
" I thoroughly enjoyed this book of Patrick Taylor's. The Irish County Wedding is out in hardback, but alas, I will wait for a paperback version. I just can't get enough of my Irish Country Doctors. Splendid chaps! "
— Kathleen, 7/23/2009 -
" Mr. Taylor had better be in the middle of writing the next book! :-) This book left me with more questions than answers. I'm eagerly awaiting the next in the series. "
— Karyn, 6/26/2009
About Patrick Taylor
Patrick Taylor is the author of the Irish Country novels, including the New York Times bestseller An Irish Country Wedding. He was born and raised in Bangor, County Down, in Northern Ireland. He is a retired medical researcher and a professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia.
About John Keating
John Keating is an actor, voice talent, and AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. His numerous acting credits include Roundabout Theatre’s production of Juno and the Paycock and La Mama ETC’s production of Cat and the Moon, as well as various parts with the Irish Repertory Theater and the Irish Arts Center. He can also be seen in the HBO miniseries John Adams, starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney.