Description
The memoirs of Trinity-educated, Scottish anaesthetist Marjorie Wallace-Le, who spent much of her working life in South-East Asia and much of her leisure time in her cottage at Slievemore, Achill Island. This much-travelled medic spent time in Vietnam at the height of the war, met her husband there, and also worked in Brunei, Singapore and Hong Kong. She moved to Achill permenently following the untimely death of her husband Thi and continues to enjoy the Achill community and a close circle of friends.
An extract from ‘Have Stethoscope Will Travel’:
“Arriving at the Amethyst Hotel, we found the door open and the lights on but not a soul in sight. From the reception area, we entered the vast dining room, calling ‘Hello’ to no avail. The embers of a turf fire glowed at the end of the room and a sofa and armchairs were arranged around the hearth; none occupied. No one in the kitchen either. A corridor behind the dining room revealed several doors, all firmly closed. Wandering back to the dying fire, we warmed our hands, added some turf and wondered would we have to find somewhere else to stay, when a man appeared and gave us a warm welcome… He was Roger Shackleton, nephew, it turned out of Shackleton the explorer. He was an artist living on the other side of Blacksod Bay, and had come over to help Thea out, the owner of the hotel, as her cook had gone off sick. Then the woman herself appeared and made us welcome before disappearing, to return with hot Gaelic coffees for each of us.”
