'Beautiful Beara is the star of my new book' - crime writer Alex Barclay on how move to isolated West Cork has informed her writing

Setting the scene: Author Alex Barclay on the Beara Peninsula. Photo: Benson Russell

The windswept, rugged terrain of the Beara Peninsula is a far cry from the bustle of Dublin city. Yet for Alex Barclay, the former magazine editor-turned-crime writer, the former provides the right amount of creative inspiration. So much so, in fact, that the author has turned her hand to different genres of books, including thrillers and Young Adult.

Twelve years ago, Barclay arrived in the Anam Cara artist's retreat in Eyeries and loved it so much that she decided to move to the area.