Walter Macken

bocaman · 02-09-2020 08:08AM #1

Does anyone read Walter Macken these days? Several of his novels and short story collections have been recently republished. In his heyday Walter Macken was a best seller and widely regarded. Now he's mostly forgotten. Also I heard a story that back in the day the good and the great of Galway were not pleased at how he portrayed the city and county. Perhaps someone can elaborate on this.

22-05-2021 08:34PM

I'm surprised to hear that Macken was ill-received in Galway.

I can't exactly remember how well-written the books are, but THE SCORCHING WIND had a big impact on me when I was a teenager. It sparked an enormous interest in Irish independence and the Civil War.

I believe that book is part of a trilogy, but I was never able to find the other 2 books at the time — this was in the mid-2000s, so he was obviously well out of popularity by then.

Must try find those books online. I often think about 'The Scorching Wind' and am puzzled that Macken is never cited in literary or social commentary.

Walter Macken

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