The Elephant of Belfast Novel | True story of Denise Austin

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one of top ten fiction books to read in 2021 —kirkus reviews

The Elephant of Belfast tells the tender and harrowing story of a young female zookeeper and the elephant, and what they endure together during the German blitz of Belfast. The novel speaks the tragedy of the times, but also to the ongoing sectarian tensions that still exist in Northern Ireland today.

In October 1940, the reader meets twenty-year-old zookeeper Hettie Quin when Violet, a three-year-old elephant, arrives at the Belfast docks from Ceylon. Soon, she becomes Violet’s dedicated zookeeper at the Bellevue Zoo. After the recent loss of her beloved older sister and the abandonment of her father, Hettie finds contentment in her care of Violet and work with her fellow zookeepers.

Six months later, in April 1941, Belfast is attacked. One evening, over five hours, 674 bombs are dropped and almost a thousand civilians were killed. During the bombings, Hettie Quin fights to save her elephant and survive the destruction and escalating sectarian unrest of the city.

Inspired by the true story of Denise Austin, S. Kirk Walsh deftly renders the changing relationship between Hettie and her young charge, and their growing dependence on each other for survival and solace. The Elephant of Belfast is a complicated portrait of love, loss, grief, and resilience amid the backdrop of Belfast and this lesser-known piece of World War II history.

“The Elephant of Belfast boasts not one but two dauntless heroines: Hetty, a young Irish zookeeper and Violet, a young Indian elephant. From their first meeting, Hettie is determined to protect Violet and as dangers mount, we cannot help cheering on her devotion and her resourcefulness. Walsh has written a novel of deep affection and knife-edge suspense. A brilliant debut.”

— Margot Livesey, author of The Boy in The Field

“In S. Kirk Walsh’s hands, the city of Belfast, its zoo, and the creatures who resided there during the Belfast Blitz, come vividly and brilliantly alive. The Elephant of Belfast is impeccably researched and thrillingly suspenseful. I churned through the pages, anxious to know what became of Hettie Quin and Violet, the elephant in her charge: a heartbreaking animal heroine to rival Tarka the otter and the rabbits of Watership Down.”

— Louisa Hall, author of Trinity and Speak

Up the Antrim Road

Bellevue Zoo’s first elephant, Daisy, arrived by Heysham steamer in Belfast in March of 1934, and her arrival to the bustling docks and eventual walk up the Antrim Road inspired the opening scene of The Elephant of Belfast.

Sheila the Elephant

The second elephant to arrive at the Bellevue Zoo was Sheila (above) in late 1935, and Sheila’s experience inspired much of Violet’s story in The Elephant of Belfast.

The Floral Hall

Situated on the grounds of the zoo, the Floral Hall was built in the mid-1930s and was one of Belfast’s foremost entertainment venues; the dance hall provides the setting for several critical scenes before and during the bombings in The Elephant of Belfast.

David Ramsey: Denise Weston Austin's cousin

During Kirk’s research trip to Belfast, she interviewed David Ramsey (above), who is the last living relative of Denise Weston Austin (the real-life female zookeeper—and the Elephant Angel—who inspired the character of Hettie Quin). Ramsey works as a solicitor in Belfast and remembers the days when he rode on Sheila’s back with his cousin Denise leading the way.

Vance Rodgers

During Kirk’s trip to Belfast, she interviewed survivors of the Belfast Blitz, including Vance Rodgers (above), who worked as an errand boy at an insurance company and a fire watcher during the bombings of April 1941. Rodgers passed away in April of 2015.

Original Sources

Kirk visited the Northern Ireland War Memorial on Talbot Street in downtown Belfast and had a chance to read original newspapers from the days that followed the Luftwaffe bombings of Belfast in 1941.

Original Sources

During her search, Kirk also visited the New York Public Library, where original city maps of Belfast from the 1930’s and 1940’s were available to study as well as original photos from The Belfast Telegraph and written records of the Mass-Observation. In addition, scholar and Belfast Blitz expert Brain Barton reviewed the manuscript several times and provided detailed feedback to ensure the historical accuracy of the narrative.

Sheila the Elephant

Sheila the Elephant was a favorite among the zoo fans—younger and older visitors alike—during her years at the Belfast Zoo.

During the research process, Walsh traveled to Belfast, interviewed survivors of the Belfast Blitz, and visited the Northern Ireland War Memorial and the Belfast Zoo as well as other sites throughout the city. In addition, scholar and historian Brian Barton, PhD, author/editor of twelve books on Irish history and politics, including The Belfast Blitz: The City in the War Years (Ulster Historical Foundation, 2015), provided guidance and assistance during the writing process. Further research was done at the New York Public Library and the New York Yacht Club. For elephant-related research, Walsh paid several visits to the elephants and The Elephant House at the Houston Zoo.