---
product_id: 49377902
title: "The Canal Bridge: A Novel of Ireland, Love, and the First World War"
brand: "tom phelan"
price: "€ 24.33"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 11
url: https://www.desertcart.ie/products/49377902-the-canal-bridge-a-novel-of-ireland-love-and-first
store_origin: IE
region: Ireland
---

# The Canal Bridge: A Novel of Ireland, Love, and the First World War

**Brand:** tom phelan
**Price:** € 24.33
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Canal Bridge: A Novel of Ireland, Love, and the First World War by tom phelan
- **How much does it cost?** € 24.33 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ie](https://www.desertcart.ie/products/49377902-the-canal-bridge-a-novel-of-ireland-love-and-first)

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- tom phelan enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted tom phelan brand quality
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## Description

Full description not available

## Images

![The Canal Bridge: A Novel of Ireland, Love, and the First World War - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51jKYv96jYL.jpg)
![The Canal Bridge: A Novel of Ireland, Love, and the First World War - Image 2](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31qFJpW93QL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    This is an excellent story set against the background of World War 1 ...
  

*by E***. on Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2017*

This is an excellent story set against the background of World War 1 that deals with one of the more disgraceful episodes in Irish history.  Over 200,000 Irish Catholics served in the British Army in World War 1 and the Republic of Ireland has only recently and grudgingly acknowledged their service.  This is of special interest to me as both my grandfather and a great uncle served.  My grandfather took a bullet in the knee at Gallipoli and his brother was killed at Passchendale.  This is the only book I have ever read which understood why they served.  Some sought adventure, most were young and naive, many could not find work.  Of course after the war they were branded as rogues and most kept their service to themselves.  My grandfather emigrated to America and left Ireland for good.  I've seen his "village" and I thank God everyday he did.  By that time, of course, all of their detractors were claiming to be IRA men and deeply involved in the rebellion.  This is a narrative we have all heard ad nauseam for 100 years.  This book presents a different side, a story of ordinary people caught up in a horror not of their own making.  I truly enjoyed this and it is a story that was long overdue.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Good story, Great writing.
  

*by S***1 on Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2015*

The story is told chapter by chapter by individuals involved.  It takes a little while to piece together as each person adds his or her part, but it will happen and you will see how the contribution of each character in the novel comes together to add up to a great novel.  I liked the book. Even if I had not liked the book the ability of the author to give us insights to the inner feelings of the various characters makes it worth reading. The descriptions of the horrors of war, in this case World War I, make you see all wars as you probably never have considered them before unless you have been personally and directly involved. It is a novel, fiction, but those descriptive pages are real enough and make you feel as though you are there in the middle of the horrors on the battlefield or back at home hoping for the survival of those who are away fighting in the trenches.  There were times in reading this book that I could not put it down and then, when I did, I had to pause a while just to consider what I had read. This book isn't one where everyone lives happily ever after. It is the real real lives of people in Ireland during WWI.  It is well worth reading for the story it tells and for the ability of the author to tell that story.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Transported 100 years back for a fascinating tale
  

*by S***L on Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2015*

I must admit that I’m a fickle reader.  I usually start reading three or four books at a time, winnowing them down until I’m immersed in the one that has captured my attention to the exclusion of the others.  The Canal Bridge is one of those books.  The author is the most talented lyrical writer I’ve read in a long while to awful, beautiful and touching effect.  From the strong-willed Kitty Hatchel to her love, the enigmatic Matthias Wrenn, the characters were revealed in extraordinary depth.  From halcyon childhood days in Ballyrannel, Ireland to the killing fields of Europe in World War I and beyond, the author effectively transports you to time and place.  The chapters are arranged by character; some with a single chapter, others with many.  Each character tells the story from his or her viewpoint, knowledge and understanding, making a unified whole that flows gracefully and perhaps more fully than it would from a single point of view.  I’m looking forward to reading other work by Tom Phelan.

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*Product available on Desertcart Ireland*
*Store origin: IE*
*Last updated: 2026-02-25*