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Greed led to the slaughter of the village of Lough Sheelin, but not all lost their lives. Anne McCleary, with her unusual gift, leads the seven remaining members of her Clan as they wander the hills and valleys of Ireland. Duncan O’Connor believes his brother to have been murdered at Lough Sheelin and vows to put an end to the raiding of his lands by the McCleary. Anne and her companions are captured, but the burning of villages on O’Connor land continues. Two other survivors from the Battle of Lough Sheelin have spent the past five years planning and exacting revenge upon Clan O’Connor. Anne and Duncan must overcome years of lies and deceit in order to thwart the enemies who threaten to take them both.

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Those who love the enchantment of historical Ireland, wish to explore human emotion, are curious about the wonder of spirituality, or love horses will enjoy Of Gifts and the Goddess.

What readers have said about Of Gifts and the Goddess:

“Magical! Mystical! Good balance of human emotions.”

“Riveting! Well developed story line and independent characters.”

“Romantic. Steamy. Fast-paced.”

“A worthwhile read.”

Dear Reader,

Ireland has such a long and rich history, which included many wars and raids by other countries, and devastations by famine, that I couldn’t pin down an exact century in which this story could take place. I believe it to be somewhere between 1100 and 1750 AD.

Clan O’Connor occupied the West Coast of Ireland in County Galway, with the town of Taum specifically founded by Rory O’Connor, and Dunmore being the home of the O’Connor kings. It is in this general area, around Galway Bay, that Ballinderry Castle was built by an O’Connor and has been under restoration in recent years.

Clan McCleary originated in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Some McClearys had migrated to Central Ireland to Counties Cavan and Monaghan. County Cavan is home to the Shannon Pot, where the River Shannon begins high in the Cuilcagh Mountains. Lough (meaning lake) Sheelin is part of the Shannon River waterway that begins in the Cuilcagh Mountains and ends in the Atlantic Ocean in Limerick.

The Hayes Clan, which is believed to have come from England, did reside in County Limerick. For the purpose of the story, I moved the Clan closer to the water in County Clare, around the town of Doolin, on which rests Doonagore Castle, also built by Clan O’Connor.

Then, as now, the Irish have always treasured dogs and horses. A well trained herding dog is valuable, and horses have been more than just transportation and beasts of burden. The land itself is full of folklore and mystical stories, and women who have the gift that Anne McCleary possesses often held a high rank in towns and villages.

I hope you enjoy Of Gifts and the Goddess and allow the magic of Ireland to sweep you away.

Fondly,

Michele Venne