An Irishman Goes Into A Bar …
New Zealand Listener|February 16-22, 2019

Counting his blessings, an old man examines his life and thoughtfully takes final stock.

Catherine Woulfe
An Irishman Goes Into A Bar …

A man near the end of his life sits in a bar and remembers his great loves.

For a while it seems we’re in for a meandering, melancholic kind of story. But somehow, between pints of Guinness and tumblers of whiskey (three guesses where it’s set), this novel morphs into something else. Something gripping and urgent, something you’ll want to get to the end of, fast.

This story is from the February 16-22, 2019 edition of New Zealand Listener.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 16-22, 2019 edition of New Zealand Listener.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

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