May You Die in Ireland

by Michael Kenyon

Plump, amiable U.S. university teacher flies to Ireland to look over a castle he's inherited... has a terrible time at the hands of bully-boy agents... a bubbling, boiling broth of a story...

Genres: Fiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 28, 1965

Reviews

[B.V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Michael Kenyon (1935-2005) was born in Yorkshire, England, educated at Quaker's Schools and served his National Service with the Royal Air Force. He spent time as a student and professor at schools in both the U.K. and the U.S., eventually becoming an American citizen in 1997 and teaching in the English Department of Southampton College in New York.

Kenyon was a regular contributor to publications like "Gourmet Magazine," "The Washington Post" and the "Los Angeles Times," but he was best known for his series of three novels featuring Superintendent O'Malley and the series of eight books with Inspector Henry Peckover, known as "The Bard Of The Yard." His very first published novel, however, was 1965's "May You Die in Ireland," establishing the author as one of the first in the crime fiction subgenre of the humorous spy parody.

"May You Die in Ireland" centers on William Foley, an easy-going math professor at a Midwestern university who finds himself off to Ireland, thanks to a castle bequeathed to him in a Will. It all seems so straightforward, until Foley becomes the unwitting courier of microfilm for a scientific scheme, with a dose of espionage perpetrated by secret agents—or are they double agents? After he crosses paths with spies, thugs and a bonny Irish lass named Mary, Foley enlists the help of his best friend Oscar Hensen, a former solder-turned chemistry professor.

The endearing Foley, an overweight, nearsighted couch potato with asthma, manages to get beaten up, turn the tables on a young punk and learns he has a knack for thinking on the fly, which includes lying through his teeth and even stealing a bike when he needs to.

"May You Die in Ireland" was apparently an immediate success, filled with what was to become Kenyon's standard blend of action, wit and the absurd, including comedic chase scenes. It's a quick, entertaining read featuring a thoroughly unheroic hero and filled with charm and humor.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

When pudgy, asthmatic math professor William Foley learns he's inherited an Irish castle, his first impulse is to stay in Chicago and have the solicitor sell it. But urged by his best friend Oscar, he sets off for Ireland, not knowing that he's carrying a secret microdot on his travel documents that will find him fighting off spies and exploring hidden depths in himself. Unfortunately, he doesn't hit it off well with the Irish police (gardai) that he encounters, making him reluctant to call them in every time he gets attacked. And the "castle" is just a decrepit, though still beautiful, manor house. On the right side of the ledger, however, is his solicitor's daughter, a lovely nurse who keeps trying to patch William up from his futile fights with the baddies. I've read this book several times, and realized on this reading that a novel is much like a time machine. When it was published in 1965, Foley's attitudes toward women and patriotism would probably have passed without mention. Don't get me wrong--he's not at an extreme--but now one notices, just as one notices someone smoking a pipe on a chartered plane.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. William Foley, a mild-mannered math professor in Chicago, learns that he has inherited an estate in Ireland, so he decides to take a much-deserved vacation to visit the spot and determine what to do with it. Unknown to him, however, his travel documents contained an almost invisible “micro-dot film” which contains sensitive information concerning military secrets; and, although he knows nothing about that, there are other people who do know, and who can’t wait to get their hands on it….This is a 1965 send-up of the spy thriller genre and as such, is pretty funny. Of course, being from 1965 it is quite dated (one major character is introduced as a “girl” and in the next sentence we learn that she is 30 years old!), but nevertheless it’s an enjoyable, if slight, read. Mildly recommended.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a flabby math professor who becomes involved in scientific intrigue in Ireland. It is unusual in that involves two maguffins (the things everybody is chasing), and a rather odd shift from one to the other.
Some of the heroics seems improbable for a flabby academic (being one myself); realistically, he does break under fairly mild torture quickly, but then he overpowers a tough young thug with the aid of a fourposter bed (one of the best moments) and ultimately has a dramatic struggle with another villain on top of Bunratty Castle during a "medieval" banquet. There are several loose ends and improbable plot twists, but overall it is pleasant and it has loving descriptions of Irish scenery and Irish rural society before Ireland became the Celtic Tiger.

[Leslie Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

funny. interesting to read a pre-technology mystery. Haven't been to Ireland but feel I have in this book.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

#worstvacationever

[~Calyre~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quant aux autres, plusieurs avaient écrit quelques mots désobligeants concernant les pays qu'ils visitaient et un ou deux s'étaient même carrément plaints de l'Agence. Un monsieur Leibnitz avait écrit de Rome : Merci de nous avoir réservé des chambres au magnifique Hotel Mazzini. Je me demande comment vous avez pu faire, vu que l'hôtel en question n'est pas encore construit. Nous avons passé la nuit à en chercher un autre. J'espère que vous aurez un bon infractus. Sincèrement votre, Harold P. Leibnitz.

Il remit ses lunettes dans sa poche et s'installa confortablement pour rêver aux hôtesses. L'avion s'écrasait dans la mer et tous les passagers se noyaient, sauf les hôtesses et lui. Non, se dit-il, c'était trop impressionnant : tout le monde était sauvé par un hélicoptère sauf les hôtesses et lui - qui étaient emportés par les flots jusqu'à une île déserte... Voilà qui était mieux.

- Je m'appelle Parker. Voici McCarthy. Nous représentons l'Agence de voyages Thomas Hide en Irlande.
Foley ne fut même pas surpris. Il s'attendait à tout et même à voir l'Agence de voyages Thomas Hide le border dans son lit, la nuit, et lui apporter un jus d'orange à son réveil.

- Un gros Américain froussard, vaut bien une crapule irlandaise, dit Foley.

Brandon, malgré son charme, était une petite ville morte, que les touristes ne faisaient que traverser, à moins qu'on ne les assommât en route.

Les minutes passaient. Mary devait être arrivée à la maison. La fumée, qui avait rapidement envahi la cabine téléphonique, le fit toussoter. Il entrouvrit la porte. De sa poche intérieure, il tira l'enveloppe qui avait contenu la photo, le ticket de vestiaire et le billet de Minton. C'était la carte de la région de la Pointe de Kinsale. Une croix indiquait l'emplacement d'un cottage de l'oncle, une autre croix et un P majuscule l'emplacement du phare. Il y avait d'autres petits croix, des flèches et quelques traits ondulés pour représenter la mer. Il n'y manquait qu'une rose des vents, un galion voguant sur les flots et l'inscription : Ici, trésor...

Comment pourrait-on perdre ce que l'on n'a jamais possédé?

[Ginny Thurston · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is sort of a silly spy escapade that takes place in Ireland. The protagonist is a somewhat nerdy professor who turns out to be an action hero...not a very believable one.There are car chases and the professor keeps getting beat-up and injured...barely escaping death. The best part of the book are the descriptions of Ireland, which are very well-written. Otherwise, it is quite forgettable.

[Ram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accidental spy novel with liberal dash of humour by Michael Kenyon in "May You Die in Ireland".

More at

https://vramonline.wordpress.com/2025...

[John Pitcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be. I wanted it to be more believable and to have fewer characters.