peter waugh

Half Irish is a travelogue coming of age love story. Follow 17 year-old Tyler from the busy streets of Manhattan to the empty beaches of Ireland. From gigging in coffee shops in Tribeca to standing on the Cliffs of Moher, busking in Belfast to late night drives with his beautiful summer girlfriend Tabitha, Half Irish takes you on a journey as you rediscover what it means to fall in love all over again and again and again. 

Thanks to the wistful hope-filled thoughts and a driving narrative Half Irish, the debut novel from Peter J. S. Waugh, is one of the best debuts to come out of Belfast in decades. This heart-warming coming of age love story will make you laugh until you cry, and cry until you begin to dream again. 

Tyler Sontoro loves life. Follow this wistful, charming teenager as he bags his first job, finishes high school, pours his heart out on The High Line before heading to Ireland for a summer vacation that might just change the direction of his life. On a crisp November evening Tyler discovers that he is going to visit Ireland for the summer. Journey with this Manhattan teenager as he makes mistakes, music and some money to help his trip become a reality. When Tyler arrives in Ireland he soon learns that his vacation is going to be a lot more than visiting tourist haunts, eating ice cream and hanging out with his cousin Patrick. 

Half Irish was described by Ulster Tatler, Northern Ireland’s leading monthly magazine as, ‘A wonderful debut novel that not only fits perfectly into the Young Adult genre but will also appeal to those readers who will forever be young at heart. Delving into themes of hope, love, loss and self-discovery, I completed the novel with a feeling I had been on a journey with Tyler and I loved every minute of it.’

'Half Irish is a coming of age love story set in New York and Ireland. A tale of hope, love and self-discovery it is fuelled with Irish humour and heart. Definitely recommended for those long road trips.' Jack Wills, University Outfitters

Author Peter J. S. Waugh has also featured at the Belfast Book Festival and irishtv.ie. He regularly speaks at events across Ireland.