A Sheepdog Named Oscar - Limerick-based writer's memoir explores love beyond loss

LIMERICK-BASED writer Dara Waldron is set to publish his deeply personal memoir this August, through the American publishing house DoppelHouse Press.
The book A Sheepdog Named Oscar, explores themes of grief, healing, and the powerful connection between man and dog, set against the landscapes of west Limerick and east Clare. Through local walking trails and moments of quiet reflection, Waldron shares a moving account of loss and recovery that resonates with emotional honesty.

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Speaking with the Limerick Leader, Dara talked about the setting of the novel, “There is a very concerted focus on the region. There’s a lot of reference to the Glenstal Abbey region, the Silvermines and to the Clare Glens.”
The memoir by the TUS lecturer begins with the sudden loss of his father and how Dara finds unexpected solace in Ireland’s West with an unexpected companion.
There, on an abandoned farm, he encounters a lone, enigmatic border collie - Oscar.
What begins as an animal rescue gradually evolves into a profound companionship that helps Waldron navigate his grief.
Dara explained how Oscar played such a vital role in his story, saying “it deals with this idea of symbiosis between humans and animals and explores the history and legacy of sheepdogs in Ireland and the British Isles.
“The idea of symbiosis where animals can be quite therapeutic, and have a therapeutic kind of effect.”
With reflections on cinema, art, and animal consciousness, Waldron crafts a unique memoir that explores the emotional terrain of loss and the redemptive power of connection.