About the Author

Manchán Magan was a writer and documentary-maker. His groundbreaking book Thirty-Two Words for Field led the way for the recent revival of the Irish language. He wrote occasionally for the Irish Times, reported on travel for various radio programmes, and presented dozens of documentaries on issues of world culture for TG4, RTÉ and the Travel Channel. Manchán lived in an oak wood, with bees, hens, and occasionally pigs, in a grass-roofed house near Lough Lene, Co Westmeath. He passed away in October 2025.

Steve Doogan works in a wide variety of media and styles. The Secrets of the Land is his second collaboration with Manchán Magan.