A new book has been published by one of the city’s most prolific creatives honouring the bond Limerick has with Kilkee. (aka Limerick by the Sea)
Maureen Sparling, a teacher and writer who began her literary career in 1990, has released ‘Mystery at Sykes House’, a collection that weaves together historical fiction, local history, memoir, short stories and poetry — all rooted in her lifelong affection for the town.
At the heart of the book is a novella set in the mid-19th century, inspired by the tragic wreck of The Edmond, which foundered close to Sykes House on the night of November 19, 1850.
The vessel had departed Limerick bound for America, carrying 95 passengers, two officers and a crew of nineteen — 116 souls in all.
Among those on board was a young woman named Nell, who had earlier bid a poignant farewell to her lover, Daniel, before the ship was driven against the rocks beneath Sykes House. In the aftermath of the disaster, a series of eerie events began to unfold at the landmark — until the discovery of a Claddagh ring among the wreckage set in motion a resolution of sorts, reuniting the ring with its deceased owner and restoring a sense of calm to the house still familiar to walkers heading to the Pollock Holes.
Sparling, the youngest of six children, traces her love of Kilkee to childhood holidays in the 1940s and 1950s, when her parents made considerable sacrifices to spend two weeks each summer in what she describes as a true oasis. Mystery at Sykes House is priced at €15 and is available online at buythebook.ie or directly from the author at [email protected].