Tread Softly in This Place
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Founder | Brian Cleeve |
| Products | Book |
Tread Softly in this Place is a novel authored by Brian Cleeve, an Irish-based writer, during 1970/71. Set in the rural town of Ross, Ireland, the narrative spans four days and delves into the intertwined lives of various characters. Following the acclaim of Cleeve's earlier work, Cry of Morning, this book continues to explore Irish cultural and social issues, although it did not replicate the same commercial success.
Plot summary
One year prior to the novel’s timeline, elderly siblings Peadar and Matty Power sold a portion of their land to Norwegian fish farmers but grew resentful over losing access rights. In retaliation, they release the entire fish stock into the sea one night, an act that sets off a chain of tragic consequences.
Local gossip hints at a potential large-scale industrial development coming to Ross, promising vital job opportunities. The sabotage at the fish farm fuels concerns that radical elements are attempting to discourage external investment.
Sergeant McMenamin suspects the Powers’ involvement but faces pressure to focus on investigating a local extremist faction known as The Sons of Ireland, headed by Seagrun Ó Maelchonaire—formerly Johnny Conroy—who adopted a Gaelic name as an expression of patriotism.
Seagrun’s old schoolmate Michael Carmody had previously fled to England due to his Republican activism but has returned to Ross seeking a peaceful existence. Working as a handyman at Hubert Kershaw’s hotel—one of the few remaining Protestants in town—Michael is involved romantically with Jenny Kershaw despite her parents’ objections. After the fish release incident, Ó Maelchonaire attempts to recruit Michael; his refusal strains their friendship.
Michael is subsequently arrested on suspicion of complicity. To demonstrate their dedication, Ó Maelchonaire and his followers assault the local jail and liberate him. They take refuge in nearby woods, but tensions mount as Ó Maelchonaire lacks a definitive strategy. That night, Sir Philip Eagan, a local Protestant aristocrat, inadvertently encounters them and is fatally wounded when Ó Maelchonaire fires blindly into the darkness.
Michael escapes to Jenny’s room at the hotel and confides that he must leave Ireland.
One year later, Michael resides in Paris as a folk singer; Ó Maelchonaire has been killed by a British soldier in Belfast. The hotel has changed ownership to Benedict Mulcahy, a local politician and Government minister; meanwhile, Sir Philip Eagan's former estate has been converted into a stud farm.
Characters in "Tread Softly in this Place"
Michael Carmody: Son of a local road maintenance worker and former radical student activist who returned from England and now serves as handyman at The Old House Hotel.
Jennifer Kershaw: Daughter of The Old House Hotel’s owner and Michael Carmody’s romantic partner.
Aloysius "Gombeen" Mulcahy: Patriarch of an influential Catholic family; his younger son Benedict holds a government minister position.
Sir Philip Eagan: Prominent member of the dwindling Anglo-Irish aristocracy in the region.
Seagrun Ó Maelchonaire: Commander of The Sons of Ireland, a local Republican paramilitary organization.
Major themes
In Tread Softly in this Place, Cleeve explores Ireland’s economic and political transformations impacting its varied communities. The waning Anglo-Irish elite struggle to maintain their influence amid apprehensions that Northern Ireland’s Republican violence might destabilize the Republic.
The Catholic majority, having ascended from peasant roots to political authority, retain deep-seated grievances against former English rulers. Characters such as Seagrun Ó Maelchonaire symbolize renewed aspirations for Irish sovereignty.
Literary significance & criticism
Gina McDonald characterizes Cleeve’s Irish-themed novels as novels of manners, portraying the transformation of Irish society through a diverse cast that includes progressive clergymen, property magnates, and figures from the media world.
Benedict Kiely lauded Tread Softly in this Place for its cleverness, perceptiveness, and craftsmanship, highlighting Cleeve’s fluid transitions between emotional tones and his detailed depiction of characters such as Gombeen Murphy and Sir Richard Egan.
Release details
- 1971, United Kingdom, Cassell. ISBN 978-0-304-29090-1, Hardcover, published 23 October 1972
- 1973, United Kingdom, Corgi. ISBN 978-0-552-09376-7, Paperback edition, released 23 November 1973
- 1973, United States, John Day Co. ISBN 978-0-381-98247-8