After The War

Portrait drawing of Patrick MacGill

Print of a drawing of a portrait of Patrick MacGill as a young man. Originally done in chalk by Robert J Swan and signed by MacGill, this print was part of a supplement to The Bookman, a literary magazine.

With permission from Donegal County Archives

Portrait drawing of Patrick MacGill
With permission from Donegal County Archives

Portrait drawing of Patrick MacGill

Print of a drawing of a portrait of Patrick MacGill as a young man. Originally done in chalk by Robert J Swan and signed by MacGill, this print was part of a supplement to The Bookman, a literary magazine.

With permission from Donegal County Archives

Enlarge image

Her Dancing Partner

Cover of Mrs Patrick MacGill’s book Her Dancing Partner, depicting the Humming Bird dance by two of the characters. This copy was published in 1926 by Herbert Jenkins Ltd, London. Typical of the authors romantic novels it tells the story of the character Heather Deane, who earns a living as a talented and resourceful dancer in London.

With permission from Donegal County Library

Her Dancing Partner
With permission from Donegal County Library

Her Dancing Partner

Cover of Mrs Patrick MacGill’s book Her Dancing Partner, depicting the Humming Bird dance by two of the characters. This copy was published in 1926 by Herbert Jenkins Ltd, London. Typical of the authors romantic novels it tells the story of the character Heather Deane, who earns a living as a talented and resourceful dancer in London.

With permission from Donegal County Library

Enlarge image

After the war, MacGill continued to write, giving accounts of the American contribution to the war through books such as The Doughboys (1919) and The Diggers: The Australians in France (1919). He proceeded as a successful commercial novelist, publishing the book Glenmornan (1919) and dedicating it to his native people. In this story of the return of a character to his home glen in Donegal, MacGill gives the tale a new dimension by his depth of understanding. It tells of the social attitudes and differing folk beliefs of the day in Donegal, and there are some references to "the gentle folk"(12), otherwise known as the fairies. It is suggested that "within a relatively small area of this single county, folk-ways differ strikingly"(13).

Continuing with Ireland as the scene, the same year, 1919, saw the production of the book, Maureen, which was published at the height of the struggle for Irish Independence, though MacGill takes no political side. Other publications from around this time include Fear (1921) and Songs of Donegal (1921). In his next novel, Moleskin Joe, (1923) he resurrected his favourite character, after killing him off in one of his poems. Within the story, Joe, the eternal outsider, enters into domestic respectability.

In his own private life, twin daughters were born to the MacGill's in 1923, whom they named Patricia and Christine. Using the pen-name Mrs Patrick MacGill, his wife Margaret continued writing popular romantic novels.

Below is the cover of "Her Dancing Partner", published in 1926 by Herbert Jenkins.

The year following the publication of Moleskin Joe, the comic novel Lanty Hanlon was published. Introducing a local business genius, it gives amusing examples of one parish's superiority over its adjoining one. Born in Ballykeeran and christened with poteen, Lanty attempts to organise a co-operative venture, financed mostly by emigrant's money.

Still producing novels, such as The Carpenter of Orra (1924), Sid Puddiefoot (1926), Una Cassidy (1928) and The Black Bonar (1928), in 1928, the MacGill's had their third daughter, named Sheila.