A Sheepdog Named Oscar
Love and Companionship in Rural Ireland
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3 Months Free + £10 Audible voucher
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A Sheepdog Named Oscar
Narrated by:
Dara Waldron
Buy Now for £10.76
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Narrated by:
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Dara Waldron
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By:
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Dara Waldron
After the sudden death of his father, Dara Waldron became disoriented in a world that had once filled him with wonder. A year later, he meets an abandoned border collie called Oscar hiding on a derelict farm in County Clare. When Dara brings him home, he believes he’s committing an act of rescue.
Oscar’s submissive behaviour hints at a difficult upbringing and, determined to earn his trust, Dara cares for him, walks with him and learns all he can about one of Ireland’s most beloved working breeds. As their unexpected companionship brings comfort to their troubled lives, Dara realises that Oscar might be the one doing the rescuing.
Set against the beauty of rural Ireland, A Sheepdog Named Oscar is a moving memoir about grief, healing and the incredible bond between humans and dogs. Beautifully written and rich with Waldron’s experience, Dara blends nature writing with a deeply personal story of recovery, revealing how small acts of loyalty can lead us back from darkness into life.
‘This book will do great good, and bring light to many lives’ Donal Ryan, author of The Spinning Heart
Dara Waldron, New York Times bestseller, September 2025; Irish Times bestseller, May 2026
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Critic reviews
‘A captivating story . . . Exquisitely written . . . a powerful study of grief and companionship intersected with compelling descriptions of the countryside’
‘A Sheepdog Named Oscar is essential reading. Dara's voice is warm and humane and full of hard-won wisdom and empathy as he guides us along the paths of loss and grief, love and life, taking care always to show how rich life can be, even when we're struggling. This book will do great good, and bring light to many lives’ (Donal Ryan, author of The Spinning Heart)
' A poignant and endearing portrait of the profound love between one man and his dog' (Jay Griffiths, author of How Animals Heal Us )
‘Waldron’s moving memoir on how his adopted border collie gave him emotional and even spiritual kinship . . . is a touching meditation on the ever-shifting nature of grief, “akin to waves that roll in”, as well as an ode to the Irish countryside: its myths, its agricultural traditions and the restorative wisdom of nature’
‘This is an age-old story yet wonderfully modern about a man and his dog and the healing, restorative good that comes with companionship. A beautifully written account of friendship, grief and the human heart. I loved this book’ (John Connell, author of The Cow Book and Twelve Sheep)
Moving and life affirming
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