In Search of the Lost Shamrock: The Duggan O'Dubhagain Family of Ireland
Social History Reference Biography Young Adult Non-Fiction Cultural Studies Genealogy Irish History
In Search of the Lost Shamrock: The Duggan O’Dubhagain Family of Ireland is the illustrated 2010 soft-cover that genealogists, Irish-culture buffs and anyone with a drop of Emerald-Isle blood keep Googling for. Vaughan Duggan’s lively non-fiction narrative traces one Gaelic clan from medieval chieftains and hedge-school masters down to emigrant wagons sailing west, weaving national milestones—the Flight of the Earls, the Great Hunger, the War of Independence—through the prism of a single family. The result reads like a biography of Ireland itself, making it a perfect crossover for young-adult students and adult hobbyists who want more story than a dry reference book delivers.
What makes this copy collectible is its “like-new” state: tight, unmarked pages, no ex-library stamps, no inscriptions, and crisp monochrome illustrations that still look press-fresh. Because the first print run was modest, clean copies rarely surface in the secondary market, especially without the usual library wear. Owners value it both as a trustworthy textbook and as a coffee-table conversation piece that sparks questions about DNA tests, heirloom recipes and that elusive shamrock crest.
Beyond pedigree charts, Duggan peppers the text with folklore on Irish cuisine, turf-cutting rituals and the social meaning of the shamrock, giving readers a cultural studies lens on why identity matters. Whether you need a solid source for a school project, a gift for a genealogy-obsessed parent, or a research springboard for your own Irish passport application, this very-good paperback is the affordable, search-friendly shortcut to “finding your lost shamrock” without paying collectible hard-cover prices.
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