Shancarrig: From “The Copper Beech”

From Ryan’s Hotel to Father Gunn’s Church, the little Irish town of Shancarrig is outwardly placid and peaceful – some might even say dull – but peel away the layers and all sorts of unexpected things come to light…

In this extract from her collection of stories, The Copper Beech, Maeve Binchy gently uncovers the secrets hidden in the heart of one of the people of this ordinary town, with warmth, humour and her characteristic understanding of human frailty.