BOOKS: An emigration tale comes full circle for author of new children's book

When Patrick Lane left the west of Ireland behind, little did he realise one of his descendants would return to write a book, cultivated by the family’s deep love for the area.
Well, when Patrick left Galway in 1867, he couldn’t have been thinking that far ahead. He left Ireland as a widower to create a better life for his seven young children. Imagine the journey the eight of them faced to a mysterious new world. Getting there safely would have been enough to occupy his mind.
He hit for Montana, then just a vast territory, not yet a state, in the north-west US (Montana became a state in 1889). There he set-up a cattle ranch and set down strong roots – the Lane cattle ranch continues in Montana to this very day.
And so do the family connections to the west of Ireland. Patrick’s great-great-great granddaughter Lisa Kelley has just written an enchanting Christmas children’s book about a curious owl and his magical festive journey to Ashford Castle.
‘Dingle’s Christmas At Ashford Castle’ has proven very popular since its launch in October, both at Ashford and in bookshops throughout the region, as well as in Montana.
Published by Mayo Books Press, it is stunningly illustrated by Achill-based artist Maeve Clancy. It is a stylish production in high-quality hardback with a dust jacket and a bespoke ribbon with Dingle’s name on it.
Dingle is a curious owl and has always dreamed of seeing what Christmas is like in a real Irish castle. One snowy Christmas Eve, he bravely chooses to follow his dream and his Christmas wish comes true with the most unexpected surprises.
Dingle is a real-life owl based at the Ireland School of Falconry in the Ashford Castle estate, and he captured Lisa Kelley’s heart on her many trips there.
Now aged 25, he’s retired but still a huge part of the family at the School of Falconry.
“Who doesn’t love a real-life Irish owl named Dingle? He’s the perfect character – wise, curious and beautiful,” said Lisa. “Owls are magnificent creatures. Our many adventures at the castle and at the School of Falconry inspired my stories.”
Always proud of her west of Ireland genealogy, Lisa Kelley studied for a semester in NUI Galway (now University of Galway) in 2001 and her affinity for the area mushroomed.
“I fell in love with Galway and the west of Ireland. My schoolmates and I traveled through Connemara and stopped for lunch at a pub in Cong. My husband, Marcus, and I returned to the west of Ireland in 2007, and explored Cong and Ashford a bit at that time. We loved the castle and the area and vowed to come back and stay someday,” she explained. Her grandmother, Arlene (Lane) Barlow, now aged 96, was able to visit Cong and Ashford in 2007 too. The grá for the west of Ireland is multi-generational.
In 2015, Lisa and Marcus came and stayed – ‘it was truly gorgeous’ – and have returned several times since, particularly loving their adventures at the School of Falconry and meeting Dingle. Lisa’s children, Dylan and Ava, came on visits when they were old enough, and they grew to love the castle, the hawks and Dingle just like their parents.
“Ashford Castle and Cong are incredibly special places in Ireland that very much feel like home to me. The people make it what it is,” said Lisa.
“Ireland is a mythical place and is home to many storytellers and writers. Storytelling is Ireland’s oldest oral art form, and there are many ancient sacred places of faery trees and forts where magical stories abound. I treasure the Irish culture and am grateful for my heritage and Irish family, past and present.
“We spent a very special Christmas at the castle in 2021, and that was the basis for ‘Dingle’s Christmas at Ashford Castle’,” Lisa added.
Lisa wanted a west of Ireland team to make her dream a reality. The book has been published by Mayo Books Press, based in Castlebar, designed by Siobhán Foody in Castlebar and illustrated by Achill’s Maeve Clancy.
“The entire team is from the west of Ireland, and that was so important to me. They really helped bring my story to life, cover to cover,” said Lisa.
“Seeing the book become a reality was wonderful. I wanted to capture this special place and traditions for current and future generations – I envision grandparents reading this story to their grandchildren, who will then grow up and visit Ashford Castle with their own families. I want to help create multigenerational grand Irish memories,” she added.
Just like her own.

• ‘Dingle’s Christmas at Ashford Castle’, published by Mayo Books Press, is available in all good bookshops, and is on sale in Mrs Teas (in store and online) and the Boutique at Ashford Castle. It is also available online at mayobooks.ie, where it can be shipped worldwide.