‘This was their land and no one could be trusted’
– Of Land & Greed
[ About Of Land & Greed ]
As Ireland shifts from British rule to independence, the Crowley family experiences triumph and tragedy in their quest for power and legacy. Seán Óg Crowley, the first in his family to own the land they have farmed as tenants for generations, becomes consumed by the need for a son to inherit the farm. He wages a personal war at home, fuelled by obsession, betrayal, and unrelenting ambition. As the Crowley family’s internal struggle culminates in a final, explosive confrontation, a hidden secret emerges, threatening to alter the family legacy and haunt future generations.
Of Land and Greed is more than a simple tale of inheritance and rivalry; it is a reflection of a nation’s birth, a testament to the powerful ties between land and identity, and a poignant exploration of the corrosive effects of greed.
[ My Review ]
Of Land & Greed by Denis Cronin published February 17th with Orla Kelly Publishing and is described as ‘gripping historical fiction set in the rugged hills of West Cork, Ireland, at the turn of the 1900s.’ A cross-generational tale, Of Land & Greed takes the reader on a vast journey from the west coast of Ireland to the Spanish Civil War and beyond as we follow the Crowley family members as they navigate their way through life.
In the turn of the century, Ireland was a place of turmoil and despair. The famine, fifty years earlier, had decimated the population and most land-workers were caught up in tenancy agreements under English rule. Unrest was brewing in many parts of the country and when opportunities arose for land deals to be made, strict boundaries were drawn up and the once tenants became landowners. This need to own one’s own piece of land still holds true for many Irish people today. We value our own acreage, be it the size of a postage stamp or one hundred acres.
For the Crowley family, their ambition to leave their tenant farming days behind them was driven by the patriarch Seán Crowley. In 1903 he purchased his land on Cosmore Mountain near Skibbereen and became the first in the Crowley lineage to shake off the shackles of subjugation and become the proprietor of his own piece of west Cork. This momentous occasion brought with it plenty of bitterness and rivalry. Neighbours fought over the line of a stone wall and it was quite common for disputes to break out between families. The Crowley family became embittered with their nearest neighbours The Creen family, and this acrimony would continue for years.
When Seán Crowley died, his son, Seán Óg, inherited the land. He had been reared by a rancorous father resulting in his own fluctuating temperament. His younger sister Ellen was ambitious and, with her strong personality and assistance, they expanded the farm, which provided them with a relatively stable lifestyle. But Seán Óg knew that he needed a son to keep the land under the Crowley name, so he had to find a wife. Ellen had other plans. Unlike her older sisters, Ellen never was one to settle for a local farmer and have a family. Ellen had her own dreams and these were to send her far and wide on quite an extraordinary adventure. But over the years, no matter where she was, she was always a support for Seán, although at times, his actions didn’t sit comfortably with her. As the pages turn we follow their journey and get insights into paths taken and decisions made. Seán Óg’s character is very well fleshed out. His destiny was pre-ordained and his, at times, irrational behaviour, was driven from a bad seed that had taken root from a very young age.
The rise and fall of many an Irish family was connected to the land and Denis Cronin explores the historical events that impacted and shaped a people, but in particular those that inhabited Cosmore Mountain and its hinterlands. Seán Crowley, with his bitterness and impassioned plea that the land remain steadfastly theirs, unleashed a hatred that spilled out and impacted generations to come. For those of you who have seen the adaptation of John B. Keane’s The Field, you will be all too familiar with the damage this greed for land can have. A similar theme is central to this tale with major factual historical events providing a dramatic backdrop and a real layer of authenticity to the novel.
Of Land & Greed is an epic family saga with its roots in the truth. In Ireland the land has been the cause of much despair and hatred and Denis Cronin goes deep into the resentment, greed and estrangement that this embedded sentiment has caused. The Crowley family had so much but this infernal desire for more and this unrelenting need to retain ownership was to their detriment. Their lives throughout the novel are intertwined with true events and Denis Cronin depicts their struggles and triumphs with a knowledgeable and well-researched narrative. Of Land & Greed is a very insightful and immersive novel highlighting the social and political unrest of that period of Irish history and beyond, but it also a tale of conflict with the destructive nature of greed and that all-consuming human desire of always wanting more.
* Thank you to Denis Cronin for a copy of Of Land & Greed in exchange for my honest review
Purchase at buythebook.ie
[ Bio ]
Denis Cronin is an acclaimed writer with a deep-rooted connection to Irish heritage and history and a passion for storytelling. He lives in the St. Luke’s area of Cork City with his wife, Mags. They have four adult children and a sprinkling of grandkids.
He worked for many years in international business but changed direction as he turned sixty and has since been exploring the world of art, music, languages, and, of course, writing. Reading has been a constant pleasure in his life, particularly Irish and European history.
Though he has previously written short stories and poetry, his first novel The Stain was published in 2022 and was very well received. His second novel, Of Land & Greed, published in 2025 is a gripping historical fiction set in the rugged hills of West Cork, Ireland, at the turn of the 1900s and is receiving very positive reviews.
