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  • The Canal Bridge

  • A Novel of Ireland, Love, and the First World War
  • By: Tom Phelan
  • Narrated by: Paul Nugent
  • Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (110 ratings)
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The Canal Bridge cover art

The Canal Bridge

By: Tom Phelan
Narrated by: Paul Nugent
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Summary

In 1913, before there is a rumor of war in Europe, Matthias Wrenn and Con Hatchel, lifelong friends from Ballyrannel in the Irish midlands, decide to see the world at the expense of the king of England and join the British army. A year later, while en route to India, their troop ship is recalled and they soon find themselves in the European slaughterhouse that was World War I. As stretcher bearers, the two men witness all too closely the horrors of the battlefield and the trenches, the savagery, and the unconscionable waste of human life on fields made liquid by “the blood and guts of boy soldiers” at the Somme, Ypres, and Passchendaele. Meanwhile, back home in Ireland, Con’s sister and Matthias’s lover, Kitty Hatchel, yearns for their safe return and reminds them of their carefree childhood on the banks of the local canal, as well as their hopes for the future.

Brilliantly and movingly narrated by a chorus of voices from the community — Matt, Con, Kitty, and others — The Canal Bridge tells the story of how the young men take Ballyrannel to war with them, and how the war comes back home when hostilities end in Europe. The Ireland the friends left in 1913 no longer exists, for the political landscape has been transformed by the Rising against the British in 1916. It is now a land riven with sectarian tensions and bloodshed from which there is no escape.

©2005, 2014 Glanvil Enterprises, Ltd. (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Canal Bridge

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A sad but compelling read.

Different style of writing, about two iris boys who join the British army and get involved in the First World War. The story is told from the personal perspective of several individuals in the story. The description of warfare in the trenches is realistic and compelling. The story describes life for the two boys before and after the war. It is sad and gave me a deeper perspective on WW1.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Best read in a long time

Heartbreakingingly, beautiful. Paints vivid picture of rural Ireland and the atrocity of war mixed up in a truly innocent love story. Fabulously narrated.

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1 person found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Deeply Moving

Any story involving the First World War is going to be a bit short on laughs. Mr Phelan manages to raise a few but on the whole the listener is dragged through an emotional wringer which left me feeling drained. Between the author's poetic prose and the narrator's equally poetic delivery, vivid pictures are created which at times are hauntingly disturbing. Keep a tissue handy.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Speechless

This is the most moving book I have listened to. I was captivated from beginning to end. The story was beautifully performed and the poetic language of the irish perfectly captured.
The insight into the pointless slaughter of WW1 and the impact it had on the people in it, their families, friends and towns was gut wrenchingly illustrated.
I cannot recommend this book enough.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fantastic, poetical and heartbreaking World War 1 story

Really good audiobook. It was fantastic hearing the story in an Irish accent.

This book was great. The language was very poetical, even when describing something horrific, it was beautiful. I really could picture every place in the book, the trenches and shell holes, the rats and Ballyrannel. The different characters were so clearly written, that I could imagine them in detail.

Very interesting book and it provided superb discussion in my book club. We all rated it very highly.

The time jumping annoyed me a bit, it didn’t confuse me but it did detract from my enjoyment of being lost in the moment of the story. Also, the ending was a bit too upsetting. But overall, a fantastic read and an author I would love to read more from.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A mighty powerful book

Beautifully read, great accents. Powerful story with characters you care about. A perspective that at times made me reframe experencescof my own life. One of the best books you'll ever read.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Depressing

We all know war is terrible and we shouldn’t glorify it but this was unrelentingly depressing. Not even a glimmer of hope…

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Masterpiece

I have just finished it and going straight to order a hard copy for myself. I just loved it! incredible writing and narration was perfection. I'm making my way through Tom Phelan's books, and they just get better and better.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant painful story of families, village in Ireland, horror of trenches

I greatly enjoyed this book. An education about life in Ireland and the trenches. Brilliant writing that paints the pictures and the emotions that had me enthralled, and had tears running down my face.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Moving, poignant. Absolutely excellent

This book both lifted and broke my heart. I have rarely been so moved by a novel. I encourage anyone who comes across this and is interested in Irish history, or indeed in the complex relationships people have with one another, to listen to this book

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