Patrick Taylor (1) (1941–)

I find that I come to this series of Novels very late: as Dr Doctor Taylor so modestly takes care to tell us, through the voice of Mrs Maureen 'Kinky' Auchileck, one of his most charming characters, this is the FOURTEENTH occasion on which he has delighted us with his tales from the life of 'Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly, Doctor Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly'.

I am not sure as to the dramatic date of Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly, Doctor Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly's first appearance in the pages of the show more literature of Northern Ireland, but by Episode 14, we have reached 1969, and to prove it are presented with a veritable slew of real-life details, vividly bringing to life the author's hours spent online with newspaper archives of the period. But in Ballybucklebo it's good news: Catholics and Protestants get on so well here that before long, in the interests of political harmony, like Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, it's a case of 'Hey Kids, let's put the show on right here!'

I think that what Patrick Taylor has created here is one of the very sharpest parodies I have read in recent years. But it doesn't do the obvious, finding humour in the events and characters of North Down in the late 1960s: Taylor is much too clever for that. No, Taylor's target - and it's a bullseye every time - is the sentimental novelist of small-town nostalgia and feel-good blarney: he spikes him repeatedly, relentlessly, and utterly without mercy, until the reader can take it no longer. The writing is sheer, pitch-perfect bliss: no noun need feel the want of an adjective, no verb an adverb, no institution escapes mention without a potted wikipedia definition. And Taylor's take on lesser authors' tin-eared dialogue is delicious: it was in Chapter 3, when I came upon the following 'conversation' between two old friends (from their days as medical students at - where else? - Queen's University Belfast) that I really thought I'd died and gone to heaven:

"[My exams are] behind me now. One early basic sciences exam called the Primary, four years training under supervision after our houseman's year, then the big one in London, written papers, practical cases at Saint Bart's, then orals at the Royal College itself."
"And you passed. You can put FRCS, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, after your name, drop 'Doctor' and adopt the honorific 'Mister'."
Jack laughed. "All because of some mediaeval academic dispute between physicians who demanded to be called 'Doctor' and barber surgeons who had to make do with 'Mister'." ... and so on, and so on, and on, and on. Priceless.

As a child, I read an Enid Blyton bedtime story in which a lazy little boy was given garden chores to do during 'bob-a-job' week. To his dismay, the owner of the garden refused to pay him when he came to collect his 'bob'. It seemed that the boy had failed properly to stack the shelves: had he done so, he would have found the money hidden there; instead of washing each flower-pot, he had merely sprayed the pile with the hose - thus missing the money hidden amongst the pots; you get the idea.

Taylor is playing a similar game here: for lazy little boys who don't care to read this book with due care and attention, only disappointment will result; but for the good scouts among us prepared to read it closely and to see it for what it is, wondrous gifts lie in store. show less

It has been a while since my last visit to Ballybucklebo, and I frequently found myself wondering how Barry and Sue's romance was going, how Fingal and Kitty were settling into married life, and how the other residents of the village were doing. I finally pulled this book off the shelf and dove in. Like the book Fingal O'Reilly, Irish Doctor, this book bounces back and forth between the past and Fingal's current life. While the transitions aren't seamless, for the most part, they aren't show more jarring either.

The story opened with the village preparing to celebrate the marriage of Kinky and Archie, and the many people who want to make it a memorable day. Fingal's skills as a peacemaker and negotiator became vital when battle lines were drawn between two groups over the proper way to decorate the church. I loved his common sense approach to bringing compromise to the combatants. The upcoming marriage made a good segue into the next chapter, which was a flashback to Fingal as he prepared to propose to his first wife, Dierdre. There is a romantic heart inside the sometimes gruff doctor, and I felt his frustration as his "right moment" got wrecked. But his Dierdre is not high maintenance, and I loved seeing her handle it all with ease and grace.

For the modern side of the story, I always enjoy the adventures of Fingal, Barry, and the people of the village. It opened on a high note, with the wedding of Kinky and Archie. It was a beautiful ceremony, but as frequently happens in this village, there was a touch of excitement. Young Colin Brown brought an uninvited guest with him to the ceremony, a guest whose presence was not appreciated by the ladies. I had to laugh at the chaos and cheered as Kinky herself used humor and practicality to return peace to the day. Colin played an ongoing role in this book, as Fingal and Barry's girl, the schoolteacher, tried to find a way to show Colin's father that there was a wider world of opportunities available for Colin. Help with that came from a very unexpected source, leaving Fingal shaking his head in disbelief. The life of a country GP is never dull, and Fingal faced everything from German measles to gout to a medical mystery that was solved by reaching back into his wartime memories. He even brought Kitty along on one case, as the doctor and the midwife used their skills to bring a new life into the village. It's not all sunshine and roses for Fingal though when a blast from Kitty's past unsettled him. I ached a bit for Fingal, as he knew he was unreasonable, but he couldn't help it. I liked that he was smart enough to talk to his brother, who helped him through it. I was a little disappointed in not seeing Barry actually propose to Sue after all this time, but I look forward to seeing more of them in the future.

The flashback part of the book was fascinating for me. Just as Fingal was settling into his work in Ballybucklebo, World War Two broke out, and he was called up. As a naval reservist, he was assigned to become a medical officer on HMS Warspite. Within hours of arriving on the ship, Fingal found himself delivering his first anesthetic for the senior surgeon doing an emergency appendectomy. Fingal was nervous, bordering on terrified as he began his duties, as he had no experience treating war wounds and there were more than a thousand men on that ship alone. But he learned quickly and did well. I enjoyed his insights into what went on around him, from witnessing the firing of the big guns to his feelings on the wasted lives. His descriptions of the battles were vividly portrayed, leading me to discover that the Warspite was a real ship and the actions described really happened. His times with Dierdre were few and far between, but their love was a source of strength for both of them. I did have a few bad moments while Fingal was in Egypt and the loneliness and a flirtatious Navy wife created some unexpected temptation. I loved seeing Fingal get to spend time with the ship's navigator, his friend Tom Laverty, who would eventually become Barry's father.

I'm looking forward to the next book and getting to see more of the time that Fingal and Dierdre spent together, as well as the progression of life in the village of Ballybucklebo. show less

Fingal and Dierdre's story at last. I enjoyed it very much, not least because whiner Barry is back to his old whiny ways, worried that Sue won't come back from France. I expect he will be taking center stage again soon, and I dread the day. Trouble with the new doctor is on the horizon, which makes sense, given the reformation of both Fitzpatrick and Bertie Bishop -- what shenanigans can occur, with those two out of commission?

It's a good thing the accents are so compelling, because there is a lot of repetition in these books. Anyhoo. I liked this installment very much, even if it stretches the credulity a bit -- I mean, what father is so annoyed by his son wanting to be a doctor that he cuts off his inheritance? Yeah, yeah, families are weird but this one is really hard to wrap my head around.

Nonetheless, young Fingal in Dublin, studying and chasing Kitty is a really nice story. Like in previous installments, I show more love how these aren't just a totally separate storyline, but rather interwoven flashbacks within current events. I'm really appreciating the depth of their previous relationships, even as it feels like Taylor has written himself into a corner -- how on earth does their relationship end? How is there time for Fingal to fall for someone else? I guess we will find out in one of the next installments. P.S. I don't miss Barry. show less