The Heather Blazing is the 1992 novel by Irish writer Colm Tóibín

Colm Tóibín

Colm Tóibín is a multi-award-winning Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright, journalist, critic, and, most recently, poet.Tóibín is Leonard Milberg Lecturer in Irish Letters at Princeton University in New Jersey and succeeded Martin Amis as professor of creative writing at the...

. It was the author's second novel and allowed him to become a full time fiction writer. The intensity of the prose and the emotional tension under the colder eye with which the events are seen, provided him with a faithful readership both at home and abroad. It won the 1993 Encore Award

Encore Award

The £10,000 Encore Award for the best second novel - now awarded biennially - was first awarded in 1990. It is administered by the Society of Authors and is sponsored by Lucy Astor. The award fills a niche in the catalogue of literary prizes by celebrating the achievement of outstanding second...

 for a second novel.

Plot introduction

The novel tells the story of Eamon Redmond, a judge in the Irish High Court of the late twentieth century Ireland. It reconstructs his relationships with his wife and children through his life and the memories of a childhood marked by the death of his father. The County Wexford

County Wexford

County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...

 landscape and the death of the father are the narrative material, which Colm Tóibín would revisit again in the The Blackwater Lightship

The Blackwater Lightship

The Blackwater Lightship is a 1999 novel written by Irish novelist Colm Tóibín, and was short-listed for the Booker Prize.-Plot summary:The story is described from the viewpoint of Helen, a successful school principal living with her husband and two children in Ireland...

.

The novel takes its title from a line from the song Boolavogue

Boolavogue

Boolavogue, also spelt Boolavoge or Boleyvogue , is a village 5 miles northeast of Enniscorthy in County Wexford, Ireland. It is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns....

, specifically "a rebel hand set the heather blazing."

The novel also plots the development of Fianna Fáil

Fianna Fáil

Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...

 from the austere republicanism of Éamon de Valera

Éamon de Valera

Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...

 to the corruption of the Charles Haughey

Charles Haughey

Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...

 era.

It has been said that this novel made Tóibín the heir of John McGahern

John McGahern

John McGahern was one of the most important Irish authors of the latter half of the twentieth century. Before his death in 2006 he was hailed as "the greatest living Irish novelist" by The Observer.-Life:...

. Amongst Women a book by McGahern has similar atmosphere to this book.