DARA WALDRON

Author | Researcher | Educator

What is being said about the NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING A Sheepdog Named Oscar

“A moving memoir of grief, healing, and the unbreakable bond between man and dog, set against the lush backdrop of rural Ireland.”

- Amazon

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A moving memoir of grief, healing, and the unbreakable bond between man and dog, set against the lush backdrop of rural Ireland.

After the sudden loss of his father, film scholar and father of two boys, Dara Waldron finds unexpected solace in Ireland’s East Clare region. There, on an abandoned farm, he encounters a lone, enigmatic border collie—Oscar. What begins as an animal rescue gradually evolves into a profound companionship that helps Waldron navigate his grief.

Oscar is no ordinary dog. A working sheepdog by nature, his instincts pull him to charge ahead—yet always return. As Waldron embarks on daily walks through misty woodlands and along rugged hillsides, their bond deepens. Each step through the Irish countryside becomes part of a ritual of recovery, trust, and understanding.

In spare, lyrical prose and accompanied by cinematic images of Oscar’s life, A Sheepdog Named Oscar is more than a story of a man and his dog—it’s a meditation on place, memory, the call of the wild, and the quiet strength found in nature and companionship. With reflections on cinema, art, and animal consciousness, Waldron crafts a uniquely soulful memoir that explores the emotional terrain of loss and the redemptive power of connection.

For readers of Jon Katz, Helen Macdonald, and nature-infused memoirs, A Sheepdog Named Oscar is a poignant reminder that sometimes the path to healing begins with a four-legged guide.

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Press

Limerick Leader - A Sheepdog Named Oscar - Limerick-based writer's memoir explores love beyond loss.

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Irish Examiner - It’s a beautiful, vulnerable, polymathic book that traverses art and animal; the rescue and recovery of Oscar and author; and, as Stephen King might say, the belonging of each other to each other in their own particular way.

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All About Books - Interview with Dara Waldron - A Sheepdog Named Oscar - 9th September 2025

Podcast

Podcast

Listen to 2025-10-28 - Active Culture - DARA WALDRON (Pt. #1)) by WXRW

Podcast

Listen to 2025-10-28 - Active Culture - DARA WALDRON (Pt.#2) by WXRW


Barnes & Noble Chicago

Tuesday, October 29th at 6pm

Wicker Park

1601 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Chicago, IL 60647
(872) 264-0225

Book Signing

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Boswell Books Milwaukee

Thursday, October 30th at 6:30pm

Boswell Book Company

2559 N Downer Ave

Milwaukee, WI 53211-4242

Book Signing

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About Dara

Dara Waldron is an academic researcher and educator whose main area of specialisation is film and expanded documentary. He is also the author of the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling memoir A Sheepdog Named Oscar: Love and Companionship in Rural Ireland, published in 2025 by Dopplehouse Press.

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