I read 'Tara Road' by Irish writer, Maeve Binchy, shortly after publication in 1999 (this would be a particularly appropriate novel to read while on a home exchange, although most home swaps won't be quite so life changing as the one depicted in 'Tara Road!')
Look out for the film, Tara Road, based on the book and starring Andie MacDowell. No release date for the film, filmed in Ireland and South Africa last autumn, available as yet.
The following quote from Maeve Binchy website is a good summary of the story:
'Ria Lynch and Marilyn Vine have never met. Their lives have almost nothing in common. Ria lives in a big ramshackle house in Tara Road, Dublin, which is filled day and night with the family and friends on whom she depends. Marilyn lives in a college town in Connecticut, New England, absorbed in her career, an independent and private woman who is very much her own person.
Two more unlikely friends would be hard to find. Yet a chance phone call brings them together and they decide to exchange homes for the summer. Ria goes to America in the hope that the change will give her space and courage to sort out the huge crisis in her life that is threatening to destroy her. Marilyn goes to Ireland to recover in peace and quiet from the tragedy which she keeps secret from the world, little realising that Tara Road will prove to be the least quiet place on earth.
They borrow each other's houses, and during the course of that magical summer they find themselves borrowing something of each other's lives, until a story which began with loss and suffering grows into a story of discovery, unexpected friendship and new hope. By the time Ria and Marilyn eventually meet, they find that they have altered the course of each other's lives for ever.'
The book, 'Tara Road', an Oprah's Book Club choice, is widely available, including at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
Looking for more details about the garden house in the Tara Road Ireland house (not the plastic covered green house). One side was wide open and there was a set of double French doors. It looked as if it might have been made with recycled doors and windows, but I couldn't see the roofline (maybe there wasn't one if it was a movie-set piece).
Posted by: MJD | July 10, 2013 at 10:04 PM
Rosemay sang 'Will ye gang love'. The black family do a good version
Posted by: Tom | January 10, 2010 at 01:09 AM
I would like to know the title of the song Rosemary sang.
Posted by: Jean | November 20, 2009 at 01:05 AM
Loved the movie too. And, was wondering about the music. Here is a utube link to the song at the end of movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnRi4NH56PU
Group: Autamata
Song Title: Out Of This
Posted by: vlee | October 28, 2007 at 08:39 AM
i also, enjoyed the music from the movie "tara road" and would like know a source for the music or and artist name
Posted by: rebecca mckeever | October 10, 2007 at 03:13 PM
Hej! I would like to know what are the names of the songs in Tara Toad.Nice movie end music.Rest regards Ala from Danmark.
Posted by: Ala | September 24, 2007 at 02:37 PM
Hey. I would like to know the name of all music of Tara Road. Could tou tell me please?
Im from Brazil, by the way sorry by english mistakes
Posted by: carla gaspar | December 07, 2006 at 06:50 PM
hi there
i have just finished watching tara road and i just loved the movie but i really loved the music . could you please let me know what it all was and were i could get it .
thankyou
Posted by: Leeann Biggin | November 19, 2006 at 08:09 AM
Hey. I would like to know the name of all music of Tara Road. Could tou tell me please?
Im from Brazil, by the way sorry by english mistakes
Posted by: Bruno Sauer | April 02, 2006 at 10:15 PM