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Maggie O’Farrell: ‘Fiction comes from what you don’t know’
From a young age, the author was told that one of her ancestors had drawn some of the first maps of Ireland. Then she found a photograph, and embarked on a journey to discover his story
TL;DR
- The author's family myth stated an ancestor helped draw the first maps of Ireland.
- A relative's death led to the discovery of an old photograph and a hand-drawn map.
- The photograph showed the author's great-great-grandfather and his son; the map contained a tiny depiction of the ancestor with a soldier.
- Research in the Ordnance Survey archives confirmed the ancestor's involvement but also revealed he worked as a labourer and translator during the aftermath of the Great Famine.
- The author reflects on the immense socio-political upheaval and devastation of the famine period.
- The experience inspired her to write a novel, 'Land', focusing on the Irish Famine and the complexities of history, drawing from what she doesn't know.