''That They May Face the Rising Sun'', the sixth and final novel by

John McGahern John McGahern (12 November 1934 – 30 March 2006) was an Irish writer and novelist. Known for the detailed dissection of Irish life found in works such as '' The Barracks'', '' The Dark'' and '' Amongst Women'', he was hailed by ''The Ob ...

, is a critically acclaimed work, winning the

Irish Book Awards The Irish Book Awards are Irish literary awards given annually to books and authors in various categories. It is the only literary award supported by all-Irish bookstores. The primary sponsor is An Post, the state owned postal service in Ireland ...

in 2003 and earning a nomination for the

International Dublin Literary Award The International Dublin Literary Award (), established as the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 1996, is presented each year for a novel written or translated into English. It promotes excellence in world literature and is solely ...

. In the United States, the novel was published under the title ''By the Lake''. The novel is a portrait of a year in the life of a rural Irish lakeside community.

Plot summary

The novel portrays a year in the life of a rural lakeside community, employing a unique and somewhat deceptive narrative structure devoid of traditional chapters or breaks. The story unfolds in a circular and repetitive manner, resembling a stream of consciousness narrative. The setting is a remote and sparsely populated area near the village of Fenagh in the south of

County Leitrim County Leitrim ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim, County Leitr ...

, located between

Carrick-on-Shannon Carrick-on-Shannon () is the county town of County Leitrim in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. A smaller part of the town located on the west bank of the River Shannon lies in County Roscommon and is home to th ...

and the border with

County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of and had a population of 63,585 as of 2021. Enniskillen is the ...

. The lives of the community members are framed within the cycle of a year, encompassing events such as haymaking, market days, lambing, and various celebrations like Christmas, Monaghan Day in February, Easter. The narrative delves into the daily routines, seasons, weather, and the natural environment. The novel introduces a wide array of characters, such as Joe and Kate Ruttledge, who have relocated to Ireland from London in pursuit of a different life. Additionally, readers encounter John Quinn, a character driven by unwavering determination in his pursuit of romantic interests, Johnny, who left for England two decades earlier in search of love, and Jimmy Joe McKiernan, who holds the dual roles of an auctioneer and an undertaker, while also heading the local IRA. The community's spirit is embodied by the gentle Jamesie and his wife Mary, who, though they have never left the lake, possess an intimate knowledge of everything that has ever stirred or moved in their surroundings. As the narrative unfolds, the drama of a year in the lives of these and many other characters comes to life through their actions, the rituals of work, religious observances, and leisure activities.

Critical reaction

The novel received critical acclaim, by its recognition at the

and its nomination for the

in 2003. It was generally well-received amongst British press. ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

'' reported on reviews from several publications with a rating scale for the novel out of "Love It", "Pretty Good", "Ok", and "Rubbish": ''

Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was foun ...

'', ''

Guardian Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unit ...

'', ''

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'', ''

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

'', ''

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'', ''

Observer An observer is one who engages in observation or in watching an experiment. Observer may also refer to: Fiction * ''Observer'' (novel), a 2023 science fiction novel by Robert Lanza and Nancy Kress * ''Observer'' (video game), a cyberpunk horr ...

'', ''

Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...

'', ''

Independent On Sunday ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publishe ...

'', ''

New Statesman ''The New Statesman'' (known from 1931 to 1964 as the ''New Statesman and Nation'') is a British political and cultural news magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first c ...

'', and '' TLS'' reviews under "Love It" and ''

Literary Review ''Literary Review'' is a British literary magazine founded in 1979 by Anne Smith, then head of the Department of English at the University of Edinburgh. Its offices are on Lexington Street in Soho. The magazine was edited for fourteen years b ...

'' review under "Pretty Good" and ''

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'' review under "Ok". Alison Light of

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

stated of the work:

McGahern conjures the warmth and decency of working people without sentimentality. He gives them dignity, while keeping his distance. Ultimately he celebrates those who are well off in the best sense because they are glad to be alive.

Film adaptation

film adaptation A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...

directed by Pat Collins premiered in 2023.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mcgahern, John 2003 Irish novels Novels by John McGahern Novels set in Ireland