esmonde peterswald

’It’s always hot in Australia. And you can ride your horses to school and tie them up under a gumtree, ’ my mother told us with a knowing smile, as we stared at her in awe.

Gathered on a cold, misty morning in their Georgian mansion on the shores of Lough Derg in depressed 1950s’ Ireland, with debts mounting, this seemed like a dream for the prominent Esmonde family, including the teller of this captivating memoir, then seven-year-old, Rosemary.

Hardship awaits down under, but Rosemary and her family bravely fight back, seizing every opportunity and experience with courage and humour.

Rosemary’s remarkable story has many twists and turns as she moves from Tipperary to remote rural New South Wales, post war Canberra, as a young bride to Papua New Guinea, apple orcharding and sett ing up a successful business in Tasmania and sailing the Mediterranean (where she and her husband, Rob are compiling their fi ft h photographic coff ee table book on sailing, seafood and wine). Come with her as we meet her illustrious ancest ors (including two Victoria Cross recipients), encounter exotic countries and fascinating people, always living her life to the brim.

In this updated edition Rosemary and Rob sp end three years navigating the Dutch, Belgium, and French canals, publish three more photographic coff ee table books and Rosemary has her novel, Th e Homest ead on the River published world-wide. Aft er fi ghting ovarian cancer, Rosemary returns by ship to Tipperary to visit her childhood home, publishes another novel, and hosts her own nationwide radio chat show.