John O’Donoghue was born in 1900 in Co. Kerry. He was a monk for a short time, then joined the gardai briefly, before moving to England to find work. O’Donoghue was a songwriter, a musician and a folktale collector. He also wrote several autobiographical books about his life in Ireland and England. In a Strange Land chronicles his experiences as an Irish labourer living ‘in exile’ in England. He describes the way in which he lived, including the first bleak months shovelling sand into a concrete mixer in an airfield in Cambridgeshire; re-laying track on the railways; odd jobs in the building trade and in a military barracks; and, his avocation, work as a house painter. He writes of these activities, not in the abstract, but in terms of the men he met, and very occasionally hated. John O’Donoghue is a skilful and gifted writer. His work prompts comparison to W.H. Davies of the Super Tramp. But if John O’Donoghues eye is innocent, his pen is cunning, humorous and poetic.  Published by B. T. Batsford in 1958. This is an ex-library book in good condition.  Includes dust jacket. Dust jacket adhesive marks remain on the  inside board covers and endpaper.