Wexford, 1657. Ireland is on its knees.

Eight years after Cromwell's army burned Killenea Castle to the ground, Mithim McMurrough – daughter of a Gaelic lord, healer and last keeper of her family's secrets – is living alone and in hiding in the depths of a Wexford forest. The soldiers are moving closer. And the past is closing in faster still.

Fierce, lyrical and steeped in Irish mythology, the Celtic tree calendar and the forgotten wisdom of the Gaelic healing women, Mithim gives voice to a noblewoman who refused to disappear quietly into the wreckage of conquest – who carried her people's knowledge into the dark, and who will risk everything to find out who survived.

Meet the bould Mithim – the Irish woman history forgot.



Carina McNally is a freelance journalist, playwright, historian and tour guide based on the Beara Peninsula, Co. Cork. Her short stories have appeared in Cyphers Literary Magazine and Woman's Way. Mithim is her debut historical novel.



Haunting and powerful



In Mithim, Carina McNally has created a striking juxtaposition between the old world and old ways of Ireland and the harsh cruelties of the Cromwellian devastations. Her heroine strives to keep alive the priceless herbal and healing knowledge that has been passed down through generations, while constantly fearing for her very life in the new order that is taking over in her land. McNally displays a deep knowledge of ancient customs and traditions, and to explore this book is to realise more vividly what richness still lies hidden in our landscape. For a debut novel, this is nothing short of incredible.



Very absorbing, well-written, and wonderfully Irish



''This book is, in my opinion, similar (i.e. the healer woman) to Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet, which I also enjoyed...I LOVED the glossaries of Irish words and of plants: both of which are used extensively throughout the book. These additions were so helpful to a non-Irish reader. McNally first leads us to think the book will go one way, and then another, but ultimately pulls the rug out from under us with her twists, which I really did not expect.' - The Seventeenth Century Lady



Both engaging and informative! The main character is compelling and I quickly became invested in her story. A fascinating read, highly recommend!



I was drawn in instantly and became very quickly invested in Mithim's story. I loved the inclusion of the glossary and found myself going back to it throughout the book. I love how engaging and true to herself the main character, Mithim, is which made it easy to connect to her and root for her along her journey. Fantastic debut novel!



An educational and evocative tale, perfect for readers of historical fiction who like to delve deeper into the mindset of a people and their heritage [...] a fascinating story.



The book is filled with Celtic references and Irish phrases which add beautifully to the storyline, making it authentic and realistic to how Mithim expressed herself in 1649 [...] I get a sense of hope from [Mithim], she is very resilient and stops at nothing once she has something in mind.



Rooted in real historical events, this multi-faceted saga conjures up a very dark period in Irish history but is also resplendent in Celtic mythology and a deep understanding of how the natural world was observed by our ancestors.