S5E16: Brian O'Sullivan - Imagining Iron Age Ireland…from New Zealand
Join us as we travel from Ireland all the way to New Zealand to explore a vision of Ireland from centuries ago in our conversation with Brian O’Sullivan.
He’s an author, cultural researcher, strategic analyst, and founder of Irish Imbas, the only Irish publisher specializing in fiction and non-fiction based on the ancient Irish cultural knowledge and belief patterns of authentic Irish mythology.
Hailing from West Cork, Brian lived in the UK and France before following his heart to New Zealand which he finds “a bit more like Ireland, more comfortable, like a comfortable shoe.” From this distant vantage point, he’s writing fiction that brings to life the Iron Age Ireland of Fionn mac Cumhaill, Liath Luachra, other legends from Ireland's deep past.
His Beara Trilogy, Fionn mac Cumhaill Series; and Irish Woman Warrior Series turn ancient Irish cultural concepts into page-turning tales of action, adventure, blood, passion, and conflict.
“You can't have a real sort of sense of where you are if you don't understand the context of how you got there in the first place. If you get your head around the history and the cultural belief systems, you’ll get a much better perspective on where you are and where you could go in the future,” he says.
For his Seamus Plug, Brian hopes you’ll try his popular Liath Luachra series and watch for his work-in-progress to teach what mythology is, what it isn't, and how it can be personally relevant.
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Brian O'Sullivan
Author
Brian O'Sullivan was born in county Cork, Ireland. On completing a degree at University College Cork, he went on to travel extensively. He is now based in New Zealand with his family but returns to Ireland on a regular basis.
Brian writes fiction that incorporates strong elements of Irish culture, language, history, and mythology. These include literary short stories (The Irish Muse collection), mystery thrillers (The Beara Trilogy) and contemporary versions of the Fionn mac Cumhaill/ Fenian legends (The Fionn mac Cumhaill Series and the Irish Woman Warrior Series). Brian also edits and writes non-fiction through the 'Celtic Mythology Collection' series published by Irish Imbas Books,
Although he writes predominantly for an Irish audience, Brian's unique style and humor has meant that his books have become firm favorites of readers all around the world.
The fourth book in the Fionn mac Cumhaill Series (Fionn: Stranger at Mullán Bán) was released in December 2022. Release of the fifth book is planned for December 2023.
A prequel for the Irish Woman Warrior Series (Liath Luachra: The Great Wild) was released on 2 June 2023)
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