Clans and Castles
by P.M. Terrell

Publication Date: May 1, 2017
Drake Valley Press
Paperback & eBook; 348 Pages

Series: Checkmate, Book 1
Genre: History

 

 

A window into the ancestors of anyone of Scot-Irish descent…

In 1608, William Neely left Wigtownshire, Scotland for Ulster. He was looking for his place in the world but what he found was the adventure of a lifetime.

Surrounded by powerful clans that had ruled Ulster for more than a thousand years, he came to know some of the most mighty chieftains of the time, including the formidable Cahir O’Doherty, who launched O’Doherty’s Rebellion with the burning of Derry and the killing of Sir George Paulet of His Majesty King James’ service. It would put in motion a chain of events that would transform Ireland and it would mark Cahir O’Doherty as the Last Gaelic Irish King in Ireland.

Cahir O’Doherty became the Lord of Inishowen as a teen after the death of his father. Known as The Queen’s O’Doherty due to his loyalty to Sir Henry Docwra and the English Crown, he saved his clan lands on the Inishowen Peninsula and his people from the fate that had befallen other Irish clans.

Peace would be short-lived, however, when Henry Docwra, Governor of Derry, was replaced by the ruthless Sir George Paulet, who ushered in a new wave of hatred for the Gaelic Irish. It would all come to a head on one fateful night when O’Doherty took the commander at Culmore Fort hostage along with his wife and son. Gaining access to the weapons at Culmore Fort, he led an invasion of Derry, burning the village to the ground. It would touch off a wave of events that would unite the major clans of Ulster, leading to a bombardment of Burt Castle, a counterattack in the Inishowen Peninsula and the burning of Ulster; a major battle at Kilmacrenan and finally a siege at Tory Island.

And when O’Doherty’s Rebellion was complete, it would usher in the age of The Plantation and mass immigration of Lowland Scots, encouraged by King James I to transform all of Ulster.

About the Author

P.M. Terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, the internationally acclaimed, award-winning author of more than 21 books. A full-time author since 2002, she is best known for her suspense/thrillers and historical suspense. Prior to writing, she opened and operated two computer companies in the Washington, DC area. Her clients included the CIA, Secret Service, Department of Defense and local law enforcement agencies. Her specialties were white collar computer crime and computer intelligence, themes that have made it into many of her suspense/thrillers.

Series include Black Swamp Mysteries (Exit 22, Vicki’s Key, Secrets of a Dangerous Woman, Dylan’s Song, The Pendulum Files, Cloak and Mirrors); Ryan O’Clery Mysteries (The Tempest Murders, The White Devil of Dublin); Mary Neely Series (River Passage; Songbirds are Free) and the new Checkmate Series (Clans and Castles). Award-winning books include Vicki’s Key, The Pendulum Files, The Tempest Murders, River Passage.

She is the founder of the Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair, an annual event that raises money to increase literacy. She is the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, which raises public awareness of the direct link between high crime rates and high illiteracy.

She makes her home in North Carolina and is an avid animal lover and advocate for animal rights.

For more information, please visit P.M. Terrell’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Goodreads. For news & updates, sign up for P.M. Terrell’s newsletter.