One Irish family – One hundred turbulent years: 1916 – 2016
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Betty O’Fogarty is proud and clever. Spurred on by her belief in her husband Seamus’s talent as a violin-maker and her desire to escape rural life, they elope to Dublin. She expects life there to fulfil all her dreams.
To her horror, she discovers that they can only afford to live in the notorious poverty-stricken tenements. Seamus becomes obsessed with republican politics, neglecting his lucrative craft. And, as Dublin is plunged into chaos and turmoil at Easter 1916, Betty gives birth to her first child to the sound of gunfire and shelling.
But Betty vows that she will survive war and want, and move her little family out of the tenements. Nothing will stand in her way.
One hundred years later, secrets churn their way to the surface and Betty’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren uncover both Betty’s ruthlessness and her unique brand of heroism.
Launch Dates and Venues for the Memory of Music
8th September in Naas Kildare, Barker and Jones Bookshop, Kildare
10th September in The Source Arts Centre, Thurles, Tipperary
Book Purchase Links
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rather than choosing the role of motherhood and marriage, my interests gravitated towards adventure and travel, my desire to experience life in all its varied colours was further ignited by my love of books. At a young age I realised that children would restrict my pursuits and independence. I travelled alone through parts of the middle-east (Jordan, Egypt, and Israel). When I found myself penniless in Tel Aviv I turned my hand to plastering on a construction site. In Ein Gedi by The Dead Sea in Israel I worked with Orthodox Jewish Women and later worked with the Palestine women in the kitchens of Tel Aviv. In Thailand I narrowly escaped the tsunami. I’ve drawn on my experiences to write about the varied women who feature in her novel which spans over 100 years, as seen through the eyes of five generations of Irish women. I was always interested in women’s issues and captivated by their resilience, their choices and the ideals of happiness they pursued. Like the characters in my novel, there is acceptance and retaliation in all spectra’s of society.
My Social Media Links:
Twitter – @olivecollins
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/olive.collins.94
JO LAMBERT 