Murder in an Irish Village

Siobhán O’Sullivan hurried through lush green fields, adjusting every so often for the bumps and dips of the terrain, imagining that from high above, Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland, must look like an ocean of green, rendering her a mere speck at sea. Before she knew it, she had passed the majestic remains of the ruined Dominican Priory, its Franciscan bell tower rising proudly above the town.
Sheedy’s cycle shop wasn’t far now. She hugged the medieval walls encircling the town, marveling at how something once constructed to keep violent marauders out could just as easily trap them in.

She placed her hand on the ancient stone, relishing the way its rough peaks scraped against her fingertips.
 It was damp to the touch despite the midday sun. One of the few walled towns in existence, it had endured some of Ireland’s most turbulent times and survived. These days Siobhán took solace wherever she could get it.