Emerald Germs of Ireland
{{Short description|2001 novel by Patrick McCabe}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox novel
| author = Patrick McCabe
| isbn = 0-06-019678-5
| pub_date = March 1, 2001
| publisher = HarperCollins
| image = Emerald Germs of Ireland.jpg
| caption = First edition cover
}}
Emerald Germs of Ireland (2001) is a black comedy novel by Irish author Patrick McCabe.{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Aisling |date=2001-01-27 |title=Germs, madness and murder |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/jan/27/fiction.patrickmccabe |access-date=2024-03-28 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |date=2001-03-05 |title=Emerald Germs of Ireland |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780060196783 |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Publishers Weekly |archive-date=13 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240813040203/https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780060196783 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2001-01-15 |title=Emerald Germs of Ireland |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/patrick-mccabe/emerald-germs-of-ireland/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Kirkus Reviews |archive-date=25 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125193902/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/patrick-mccabe/emerald-germs-of-ireland/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2001-01-01 |title=Emerald Germs of Ireland |url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Emerald-Germs-of-Ireland-Patrick-McCabe/pid=273750 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Booklist}} Each chapter uses the title of a different song and begins with an epigram of the lyrics.
The title "Emerald Germs of Ireland" is a reference to a music book, mentioned in McCabe's earlier novel The Butcher Boy titled "Emerald Gems of Ireland".
Plot summary
The book focuses on the story of Pat McNab. Through the use of flashbacks and hallucinations it tells of the alternately adoring and critical attention of his mother, Maimie, and the abusiveness of his father describing how it finally sent him over the edge.
After initially killing both his father and mother, he proceeds to kill his neighbors and local visitors to the village whom he believes to be aware of his crimes and attempt to blackmail him.
Eventually, after the removal of each successive "germ", he exhumes his mother's body as an act of closure.
Chapter titles
References
{{Patrick McCabe}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Emerald Germs Of Ireland}}
Category:Novels by Patrick McCabe (novelist)