Maggie O’Farrell: ‘Fiction comes from what you don’t know’ The author pursued a family legend about an ancestor who mapped Ireland, eventually finding a photograph and a hand-drawn map that provided clues. Her research in the Ordnance Survey archives revealed proof of his work, but also placed his activities in the context of the devastating Great Famine, prompting reflection on the human experience during that period. This discovery fueled her decision to write a novel exploring Irish history and the impact of such immense loss.

• The author’s family myth stated an ancestor helped draw the first maps of Ireland.
• A relative’s death led to the discovery of an old photograph and a hand-drawn map.
• The photograph showed the author’s great-great-grandfather and his son; the map contained a tiny depiction of the ancestor with a soldier.
• Research in the Ordnance Survey archives confirmed the ancestor’s involvement but also revealed he worked as a labourer and translator during the aftermath of the Great Famine.
• The author reflects on the immense socio-political upheaval and devastation of the famine period.
• The experience inspired her to write a novel, ‘Land’, focusing on the Irish Famine and the complexities of history, drawing from what she doesn’t know.