With all the shenanigans going on in the tiny village of Ballybucklebo, in Northern Ireland, I am surprised the doctors have any time to practice medicine. It is 1967 and the Grand National Horse Race is being televised from England. Mrs. Auchinleck, the doctor’s housekeeper, has second sight and knows which horse is going to win. She normally would not bet, using her power, but knows that someone in the village is going to need a large amount of money, very soon. (That second sight again.) She treats it as a duty, and puts her winnings away until needed. An Irish Country Practice by Patrick Taylor, is a very busy book.
Dr. Fingal O’Reilly keeps wondering, is the money needed by Eileen who is ill and is a single mother with three children? By Anne whose lung trouble may turn out to be cancer? By that arch-schemer Donal Donnelly who, in trying to support his growing family, has been caught poaching pheasants out of season? Dr. O’Reilly has to sew up Donal’s cut hand at 2 in the morning, after Donal is nabbed by the local constable.
Dr. O’Reilly’s brother Lars is allergic to the puppy that his girlfriend gave him. Lars is no fool. He invites O’Reilly and his wife Kitty to see the dog, and of course, Kitty says they will take the puppy. Fingal O’Reilly is stuck with a new dog. Fortunately, his old dog, Arthur Guinness, starts to train the pup immediately. That will be a happy ending.
We’re not sure there will be a happy ending when another doctor, Barry Laverty, lets it out that he isn’t sure about having children. His fiancée, Sue, does not appreciate hearing him blurt out ‘Why anybody, anybody in their right mind would have a brood of bloody rug rats is utterly beyond me.’ Although, he does have a good reason to say it. But is their engagement over?
Well, you’ll just have to go to Ireland to-woops, I mean you will have to pick up Pine Bush Library’s copy of An Irish Country Practice and find out. And keep an eye open for who gets that wad of cash, from the horse racing. And why it turns out to be a very good thing, indeed. Is it the luck of the Irish?