I listened to this book. It was a hilarious, heart-warming, heartbreaking story and if you grew up with any Irish relatives so much of it will be relatable. It is a series of essays so doesn't progress in a traditional way but that did not take away any enjoyment for me. I loved every minute of it and I was frequently laughing so much that I had to rewind to see what I missed.

Memoirs are tricky to review due to the fact they're so deeply personal (and even more so when they discuss grief), but I really enjoyed the way in which Séamas O'Reilly told his story here. It was dry and sometimes hilarious and painted a great picture on who his family is. I read it in one sitting!

Very solid little memoir, and legitimately funny. I was approved for both the audiobook and ebook versions of this book, I'm so happy that I was able to switch back and forth between them. Mr. O'Reilly's narration very much elevated the already enjoyable prose. I definitely recommend either version!

DNF @ 54%

I have no idea what I just listened to besides the fact that someone’s mother has died. The narrator didn’t even seem that interested in reading this book. I just don’t think this book is for me. Maybe more for an Irish person or someone connected to their Irish roots.

(ALC received from NetGalley in exchange for honest review. Thank you.)

This memoir was incredible - poignant and thoughtful and laugh out loud funny. I think this will resonate with anyone raised Irish Catholic, particularly those of us from large, loud families. In true Irish form, O'Reilly tells some really sad, poignant stories with a lot of dry humor, and it's such a delight to read. I had a great time, and I can't wait to share this book with my family!

Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? is--maybe surprisingly, given its title--a lovely book, funny and poignant in equal measure. And it's exactly that combination of the two, the balancing act between gravity and levity, that makes it work so well as a memoir. Right from the get-go, the opening chapter of the book tells you all that you need to know about the kind of tone you're getting here,
"One thing they don't tell you about mammies is that when they die you get new trousers. On my first full day as a half-orphan, I remember fiddling with unfamiliar cords as Margaret held my cheek and told me Mammy was a flower . . . 'Sometimes,' croaked Margaret, 'when God sees a particularly pretty flower, He'll take it up from Earth, and put it in his own garden' . . . As Margaret reassured me that God was an avaricious gardener intent on murdering my loved ones any time he pleased, I concentrated once more on my new corduroy slacks, summoned from the aether as if issued by whichever government department administers to the needs of all the brave little boys with dead, flowery mams - an infant grief action pack stuffed with trousers, sensible underpants, cod liver oil tablets and a solar-powered calculator."

And to be sure, it's not an easy tone to strike. This is, in many ways, a sad book: O'Reilly confronts the loss of his mother head on, a loss that is made all the more tragic because he was so young when it happened. It's also a loss that follows him throughout his life, as he tries to recover his early memories of his mother, the very little that he had of her before she passed away.

And yet, Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? is never a sad book, per se. O'Reilly takes many things seriously--bereavement, grief--but he also knows when not to take things seriously, and that's what makes this book so charming in the end. That's not to say that sad books about grief are somehow lesser--that O'Reilly's book is "better" as a memoir because it's not just sad--but rather that this particular book accomplishes what it sets out to do, which is to combine the serious with the funny, and look at the ways in which the two can and do intersect.
"I was simply too young to grasp that the only thing sadder than a five-year-old crying because his mammy died is a five-year-old wandering around with a smile on his face because he hasn't yet understood what that means. We laugh about it now, but it really is hard for me to imagine the effect I must have had, skipping sunnily through the throng, appalling each person upon their entry to the room by thrusting my beaming, three-foot frame in front of them like a chipper little maître d', with the cheerful inquiry:
'Did ye hear Mammy died?'"

Something else I loved about this book's tone is O'Reilly's earnestness. It's a memoir about his mother, yes, but also about the rest of his family: his dad, who features prominently in many of the chapters, and his ten siblings. There are lots of fun and funny dynamics at play here, and I think O'Reilly does a great job at teasing out some of the notable and illustrative anecdotes that speak to these family members. His dad especially is quite the character (in the best of ways): I love the way he gently pokes fun at his little quirks and mannerisms. Regardless of who or what O'Reilly is talking about, though, that earnestness is always there: you can really tell how much he loves and cares for his family, and that shines through in the writing without it ever being sentimental or saccharine. It's just a simple fact for him, and he treats it as such.

I just really enjoyed Did Ye Hear Mammy Died?--and especially because I listened to Séamas O'Reilly himself narrate the audiobook. His literal voice and narrative voice compliment each other perfectly, and the humour of his writing very much comes through in the way that he narrates the audiobook.

Altogether, Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? really is such a charming memoir, one that I frankly can't imagine anyone not liking.

Thanks so much to Hachette Audio for providing me with an audiobook ARC of this in exchange for an honest review!

I had heard that this was really funny, so when I saw the audiobook - read by the author! - on NetGalley I was intrigued.
Unfortunately, it’s not the memoir for me.
The first part of the book focuses a lot on the author’s Catholic upbringing and the religion as a whole and, while I found the overall voice and some of the anecdotes mildly amusing, I unfortunately had to DNF at 65% because I realised I was forcing myself to continue despite not really enjoying the book.
If Catholicism in Ireland is something that interests you, I’m sure this would be fascinating, but it was too much the focus of the narrative for me, and while I understand that that’s perhaps inevitable when someone is raised in a very religious household/environment, it unfortunately didn’t hold my attention.

A sweet Irish memoir read by the author. When Seamus O’Reilly was 5 years old, his mother passed away from cancer, leaving behind her husband and 11 children. Not really understanding that his mother wouldn’t be back, this memoir follows Seamus in the aftermath of his mother’s death and the grief they all suffered in different ways. This is not at all sad and is in fact very uplifting and seems to be a great big thank you to his father., Joe.

*Thanks to NetGalley & Hachette Audio for this audio e-version.*

I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley.

I have been reading and enjoying Seamas O'Reilly's Guardian (or maybe Observer) column over the last few years, and this is very much in the same vein. Although the underlying and very moving theme is that of a child's bereavement, this is also very funny throughout. It is also a love letter to his amazing father.

The audiobook is read by the author and I might give a lower rating if I were rating just that (rather than the book itself). I found it hard to hear what he was saying at times - not so much his accent as the speed of his delivery.

I already followed Seamas on Twitter because of his ketamine story, which made me weep with laughter. This made me weep with laughter and just sometimes weep. A glorious telling of a terrible bereavement, if that's even a thing that's possible. This is full of love and seriously good family stories. I don't know what else to say about it without gushing too much, but I loved it.

Brilliantly narrated by the author, 'Did Ye Hear Mammy Died?' is a beautiful exploration of losing a parent in childhood. Séamas O'Reilly lays bare his experience with raw honesty. The ensuing escapades of his father and ten siblings are laugh-out-loud funny. What I especially love about this book is the gallows humour - something we Glaswegians share with the people of Northern Ireland. As someone who lost her own mother at a young age, I found the book relatable, poignant and a great comfort.

I found the audio version of Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? was an interesting listen to. It had some hilarious moments as Seamas and his clan navigate life with his mum. I liked it. Four stars.

I enjoyed this memoir in the audio version as read by the author. It pulled at my heartstrings as he presented a clear picture of life during the Troubles, but was chock-full of dry humor that periodically made me laugh out loud. The author's accent, while lovely to listen to, combined with the breakneck pace of his speech made it hard to follow at times. I will probably have to take a second read of the hard copy because I feel like I missed a few of the details.

"Most people seem prepared to treat their memories shabbily to consign them to a cavernous dustbin in their brains, never sought or ordered only to be touched when necessary." This line resonated with me so much as I listened to Seamas O'Reilly narrate his own book about how he dealt with the death of his mother. The book is full of touching stories and remembrances of his mother, his family, and growing up at the end of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. The blurb from Patrick Radden Keefe promised a "raucous comedy" that didn't come through in the audio version, though I can't imagine the author himself reading about his mother's death in a hilarious manner so that makes sense to me, but I look forward to reading the physical book because some of the stories were genuinely amusing.

This touching and humorous memoir is a keeper! The author narrated the audiobook and his witty personality (and Irish brogue) was evident throughout. This memoir focuses on O'Reilly's childhood in Northern Ireland in the 80's and 90's and focuses on the author and his 10 siblings, who were raised by their father following the death of their mother. The subject matter could have been quite sad, but O'Reilly's storytelling makes this unconventional family's stories relatable and funny.

Thanks to NetGalley for offering me this ARC in return for an honest review.

This was such a fabulous audiobook!! It tugged at my heartstrings and had me laughing so hard I can skip my next ab day at the gym 😂 The author’s deadpan delivery is perfection.

In this memoir, Séamas O’Reilly shares about the loss of his mother at the age of five years old. He describes the events following his mother’s death through his eyes as a young boy and the effects it had on his large family. He is the ninth of ELEVEN children; from an Irish Catholic family who was raised in Northern Ireland during the latter years of The Troubles. Left to care for the O’Reilly clan on his own, Séamas’ father carries on with grace, love, and strength. The love Séamas and his siblings have for their father is beautifully conveyed as he shares story after story about the family and the man who so lovingly raised them.

I wasn't previously familiar with Séamas O'Reilly, and wonder if that negatively affected my experience. While I thought the book was a honest portrayal of childhood grief (to which I have no personal experience) I did not find it as captivating as I had hoped. I struggled to connect with O'Reilly. I think I should also stop trying to read any books on grief; they don't seem to work for me. I was hoping this was more comedy. Good book, wrong reader.

First off, I listened to the audiobook, which is definitely worth it to hear the author's great Derry accent and smooth, droll delivery of his stories.

Secondly, each chapter reminded me of a guest appearance on The Moth, or TenX9, where it's just a person sharing a story about their life, but it's so well crafted and delivered that it ends up being especially insightful, , humorous, profound and meaningful.

Thirdly, I wish *I* had the skill of discussing sobering topics in such a funny way, without denigrating them. I laughed all throughout this book, but somehow felt included in the joke instead of as if I were laughing AT them.

And fourthly, my life and childhood were very, very different from the author's, but O'Reilly told his stories in such a relatable way, that suddenly it seemed like we had more in common than we didn't. And that's quite a skill as well.

I benefited from reading these stories and will definitely recommend this book to others.

**I received an advance copy to review. These are my own opinions and I leave them voluntarily.

Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? by Seamus O'Reilly

My paternal grandfather's family hailed from rural Derry and I have always felt a very strong connection to the area and the people so I was immediately interested in this memoir. Coming from a family who's mother died at an early age, leaving a squad of children in the care of a father who was busy trying to build a career and was hopelessly underqualified as a carer or domestician, I can relate so well to everything the author has to say.
I really appreciate the writing style of Seamus O'Reilly. I recognise his language, so typical of his nationality, speaking as he does in metaphors and similes, longwinded and tangential, full of irreverent humour.
The book opens at his mother's funeral where he, born ninth of eleven children, age 5, is confused about the emotions of family and friends, understands this is a very sad occasion, but is wondering when his Mam will be home. You just want to cry and smile at the same time.
He returns to school to find that he has been awarded a new status of someone the other kids need to handle with care, and the benefits start to mount up.
The larger than average Irish Catholic family gets close attention as he recounts all the features that anyone who ever knew one of these families can relate to, the minibus, the headcounts, the several generations within the same sibling group.
His memories of his father are especially touching. The man he describes sounds like every Irish father ever. The shed, the videos, the gadgetry! The mild mannered bullheadedness.
I would say that the opening chapters are very strong but it falls off slightly in the middle. The ending is abrupt, but apt.

I would be happy to recommend this memoir to anyone who can laugh at a funeral, or loves to immerse themselves in nostalgia.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HachetteAudio for my first ever galley.

#DidYeHearMammyDiedAudio

An engaging memoir told with dry, dark humor that is perfect for lifting one's spirits. O'Reilly's family is one I would love to have known, his father so endearing, and his mother a calm presence through heartbreaking adversity. The book is enhanced by the decision to use the author as narrator -- the only qualifier is that I did have to adjust the speed of the book to slow it down ever so slightly as he speaks quite rapidly. Divided into discrete chapters that make it easy to pick up, this is one I am recommending particularly to those who enjoy using audiobooks while walking or exercising.