- Home
- Site Index
- About Me
-
My Books
- Book List & Themes
- Strictly for Adults Novels >
-
Tales from Portlaw
>
- No Need to Look for Love
- 'The Love Quartet' >
-
The Priest's Calling Card
>
- Chapter One - The Irish Custom
- Chapter Two - Patrick Duffy's Family Background
- Chapter Three - Patrick Duffy Junior's Vocation to Priesthood
- Chapter Four - The first years of the priesthood
- Chapter Five - Father Patrick Duffy in Seattle
- Chapter Six - Father Patrick Duffy, Portlaw Priest
- Chapter Seven - Patrick Duffy Priest Power
- Chapter Eight - Patrick Duffy Groundless Gossip
- Chapter Nine - Monsignor Duffy of Portlaw
- Chapter Ten - The Portlaw Inheritance of Patrick Duffy
- Bigger and Better >
- The Oldest Woman in the World >
-
Sean and Sarah
>
- Chapter 1 - 'Return of the Prodigal Son'
- Chapter 2 - 'The early years of sweet innocence in Portlaw'
- Chapter 3 - 'The Separation'
- Chapter 4 - 'Separation and Betrayal'
- Chapter 5 - 'Portlaw to Manchester'
- Chapter 6 - 'Salford Choices'
- Chapter 7 - 'Life inside Prison'
- Chapter 8 - 'The Aylesbury Pilgrimage'
- Chapter 9 - Sean's interest in stone masonary'
- Chapter 10 - 'Sean's and Tony's Partnership'
- Chapter 11 - 'Return of the Prodigal Son'
- The Alternative Christmas Party >
-
The Life of Liam Lafferty
>
- Chapter One: ' Liam Lafferty is born'
- Chapter Two : 'The Baptism of Liam Lafferty'
- Chapter Three: 'The early years of Liam Lafferty'
- Chapter Four : Early Manhood
- Chapter Five : Ned's Secret Past
- Chapter Six : Courtship and Marriage
- Chapter Seven : Liam and Trish marry
- Chapter Eight : Farley meets Ned
- Chapter Nine : 'Ned comes clean to Farley'
- Chapter Ten : Tragedy hits the family
- Chapter Eleven : The future is brighter
-
The life and times of Joe Walsh
>
- Chapter One : 'The marriage of Margaret Mawd and Thomas Walsh’
- Chapter Two 'The birth of Joe Walsh'
- Chapter Three 'Marriage breakup and betrayal'
- Chapter Four: ' The Walsh family breakup'
- Chapter Five : ' Liverpool Lodgings'
- Chapter Six: ' Settled times are established and tested'
- Chapter Seven : 'Haworth is heaven is a place on earth'
- Chapter Eight: 'Coming out'
- Chapter Nine: Portlaw revenge
- Chapter Ten: ' The murder trial of Paddy Groggy'
- Chapter Eleven: 'New beginnings'
-
The Woman Who Hated Christmas
>
- Chapter One: 'The Christmas Enigma'
- Chapter Two: ' The Breakup of Beth's Family''
- Chapter Three: From Teenager to Adulthood.'
- Chapter Four: 'The Mills of West Yorkshire.'
- Chapter Five: 'Harrison Garner Showdown.'
- Chapter Six : 'The Christmas Dance'
- Chapter Seven : 'The ballot for Shop Steward.'
- Chapter Eight: ' Leaving the Mill'
- Chapter Ten: ' Beth buries her Ghosts'
- Chapter Eleven: Beth and Dermot start off married life in Galway.
- Chapter Twelve: The Twin Tragedy of Christmas, 1992.'
- Chapter Thirteen: 'The Christmas star returns'
- Chapter Fourteen: ' Beth's future in Portlaw'
-
The Last Dance
>
- Chapter One - ‘Nancy Swales becomes the Widow Swales’
- Chapter Two ‘The secret night life of Widow Swales’
- Chapter Three ‘Meeting Richard again’
- Chapter Four ‘Clancy’s Ballroom: March 1961’
- Chapter Five ‘The All Ireland Dancing Rounds’
- Chapter Six ‘James Mountford’
- Chapter Seven ‘The All Ireland Ballroom Latin American Dance Final.’
- Chapter Eight ‘The Final Arrives’
- Chapter Nine: 'Beth in Manchester.'
- 'Two Sisters' >
- Fourteen Days >
-
‘The Postman Always Knocks Twice’
>
- Author's Foreword
- Contents
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fifteen
- Chapter Sixteen
- Chapter Seventeen
- Chapter Eighteen
- Chapter Nineteen
- Chapter Twenty
- Chapter Twenty-One
- Chapter Twenty-Two
-
Celebrity Contacts
-
Thoughts and Musings
- Bereavement >
- Nature >
-
Bill's Personal Development
>
- What I'd like to be remembered for
- Second Chances
- Roots
- Holidays of Old
- Memorable Moments of Mine
- Cleckheaton Consecration
- Canadian Loves
- Mum's Wisdom
- 'Early life at my Grandparents'
- Family Holidays
- 'Mother /Child Bond'
- Childhood Pain
- The Death of Lady
- 'Soldiering On'
- 'Romantic Holidays'
- 'On the roof'
- Always wear clean shoes
- 'Family Tree'
- The importance of poise
- 'Growing up with grandparents'
- Love & Romance >
- Christian Thoughts, Acts and Words >
- My Wedding
- My Funeral
- Audio Downloads
- My Singing Videos
- Bill's Blog
- Contact Me
Chapter Five
' Ned's Secret Past'
After burying Great Aunt Hetti's alongside the plot of his mother's grave, Liam became a regular visitor to the Catholic Church Cemetery of Portlaw. Almost two weeks had passed by before Liam had to see the solicitor in Waterford with regard to the family property and the reading of his Great Aunt Hetti's last will and testament.
It was the night before his appointment to meet with the solicitor when Liam looked in his aunt's box again and suddenly remembered the note written in his grandmother's hand. The note was addressed to Hetti and was signed Lill.
It was the night before his appointment to meet with the solicitor when Liam looked in his aunt's box again and suddenly remembered the note written in his grandmother's hand. The note was addressed to Hetti and was signed Lill.
"Forgive me dear sister, but I never planned to hurt you. Please don't blame Frank because it was my fault. It was me who led him on when he was low and in need of the warmth of a woman's close company. I........I didn't mean to hurt you or Frank. I just wanted someone at the time to feel close to...... someone of my own for a brief spell. Forgive me, Hetti.
Lill x
Liam sat down and re-read the letter a number of times which his grandmother had written so long ago before he began to grasp the true significance the message contained. Then it dawned on him that his mother Lucy had been born out of wedlock after her mother, Grandma Lilly, had engaged in a one-off fling with her sister Hetti's betrothed, Frank. Liam surmised that Hetti, being the woman that she was, had subsequently confronted Frank before breaking off their engagement of marriage. Hence Frank's speedy absence from the scene and his hasty emigration.
During the weeks that followed after Liam had returned to his coal round, he was surprised with the changes he encountered within his working day. His gaffer Ned seemed to be a much different man. In some ways, one would have been forgiven for thinking he'd had a personality change in the absence of his apprentice. He was now much more talkative and surprised Liam straight away by saying, "Good Morning , lad. I hope you're feeling much better and ready to start work again. Me and the horse here have missed you. So sorry for your troubles. I knew your aunt. She was a good woman; a God-fearing woman. God bless her departed soul."
"Thank you, Ned," Liam politely replied as Ned made the sign of the cross.
The biggest surprise in the changes Ned had made however, wasn't revealed until early afternoon on Liam's first day back at work. It was almost one o'clock before Liam realised that his gaffer hadn't knocked off for the day as usual with a visit to his nearby watering hole. By two o'clock Liam asked, "Are you not away for a drink today, boss?"
"Nay............I'll give it a miss, lad, if you can put up with my company 'til the end of the round?" Ned replied.
Lill x
Liam sat down and re-read the letter a number of times which his grandmother had written so long ago before he began to grasp the true significance the message contained. Then it dawned on him that his mother Lucy had been born out of wedlock after her mother, Grandma Lilly, had engaged in a one-off fling with her sister Hetti's betrothed, Frank. Liam surmised that Hetti, being the woman that she was, had subsequently confronted Frank before breaking off their engagement of marriage. Hence Frank's speedy absence from the scene and his hasty emigration.
During the weeks that followed after Liam had returned to his coal round, he was surprised with the changes he encountered within his working day. His gaffer Ned seemed to be a much different man. In some ways, one would have been forgiven for thinking he'd had a personality change in the absence of his apprentice. He was now much more talkative and surprised Liam straight away by saying, "Good Morning , lad. I hope you're feeling much better and ready to start work again. Me and the horse here have missed you. So sorry for your troubles. I knew your aunt. She was a good woman; a God-fearing woman. God bless her departed soul."
"Thank you, Ned," Liam politely replied as Ned made the sign of the cross.
The biggest surprise in the changes Ned had made however, wasn't revealed until early afternoon on Liam's first day back at work. It was almost one o'clock before Liam realised that his gaffer hadn't knocked off for the day as usual with a visit to his nearby watering hole. By two o'clock Liam asked, "Are you not away for a drink today, boss?"
"Nay............I'll give it a miss, lad, if you can put up with my company 'til the end of the round?" Ned replied.
When one o'clock arrived the following day, the same thing happened as the horse and cart approached 'The Wheat Sheaf', which was one of Ned's favourite pubs that was located at the side of 'The Slingers Hotel' on the outskirts of Kilkenny. Instead of getting off and entering the public house, the horse and cart was allowed to pass by without stopping. Ned stayed on his cart to complete the day's deliveries. Liam couldn't fathom it out and for a moment he started to wonder if Ned had taken the pledge and had gone teetotal in his absence.
It transpired in a rare conversation later that afternoon that during Liam's absence, Ned had no option, but to forgo his alcoholic intake until after his full day's work had been completed. He told Liam that he could either drink or abstain, work or take off, but he'd never been able to mix drink and work to his satisfaction. He had got back into the habit of tasting no stout until he'd had his evening meal, and only then, if it was by the glass measure inside his home during the working week instead of from the bar stool of a pub. While he acknowledged that he did have a terrible drink problem, Ned seemed determined to keep it in check without turning monk if he could during the future. He loved his porter too much to ever consider abtaining totally, but he felt confident that despite any obvious discomfort it might cause him, that drinking before the evening hours was a discipline he could manage to impose upon himself and keep to.
It transpired in a rare conversation later that afternoon that during Liam's absence, Ned had no option, but to forgo his alcoholic intake until after his full day's work had been completed. He told Liam that he could either drink or abstain, work or take off, but he'd never been able to mix drink and work to his satisfaction. He had got back into the habit of tasting no stout until he'd had his evening meal, and only then, if it was by the glass measure inside his home during the working week instead of from the bar stool of a pub. While he acknowledged that he did have a terrible drink problem, Ned seemed determined to keep it in check without turning monk if he could during the future. He loved his porter too much to ever consider abtaining totally, but he felt confident that despite any obvious discomfort it might cause him, that drinking before the evening hours was a discipline he could manage to impose upon himself and keep to.
During the week of Liam's 18th birthday, Ned invited him to call around to his house for a birthday meal if he didn't have any other plans booked. Being without girlfriend, male friend or living relative to celebrate his birthday with, Liam thanked his gaffer and said he'd be pleased to come round for a birthday meal. In fact, Ned was probably the only other person with whom Liam shared anything resembling a 'close relationship.'
Usually after his daily work had ended, Liam would be too tired to bother going out on the town, particularly on his own. If he ever felt sexy, instead of trawling the local town in search of a girl, he'd use some man's mucky magazine and a sexy female image to help relieve himself. It didn't require to be pornographic; simply suggestive and in conjunction with his instant thoughts. In many ways, Liam was too shy to approach a girl with the degree of confidence that is usually associated with a hot-blooded Irish man of attractive features.
Usually after his daily work had ended, Liam would be too tired to bother going out on the town, particularly on his own. If he ever felt sexy, instead of trawling the local town in search of a girl, he'd use some man's mucky magazine and a sexy female image to help relieve himself. It didn't require to be pornographic; simply suggestive and in conjunction with his instant thoughts. In many ways, Liam was too shy to approach a girl with the degree of confidence that is usually associated with a hot-blooded Irish man of attractive features.
The 10th November duly arrived. This year there was no birthday card from his Great Aunt Hetti to grace the mantle piece and it was only when he arrived at work that he found a card in the shed where he and Ned would drink their pot of tea before loading the cart for the start of their working day.
"Thank you for the card, Ned," Liam said when his gaffer turned up for work.
"Happy birthday, lad," Ned said with a smile on his face. "Now then, lad, what would you like for a birthday present. You must have a birthday present! What would you like me to give you? How about the day off work with full pay or perhaps you'd like a new pair of boots to wear?"
"There is something, Ned, that I would love to have and it won't cost you a penny," Liam said teasingly.
"Go on then, lad, tell me. I've always been one for seizing a bargain, and if I can give it, I will!" Ned replied.
"Thank you for the card, Ned," Liam said when his gaffer turned up for work.
"Happy birthday, lad," Ned said with a smile on his face. "Now then, lad, what would you like for a birthday present. You must have a birthday present! What would you like me to give you? How about the day off work with full pay or perhaps you'd like a new pair of boots to wear?"
"There is something, Ned, that I would love to have and it won't cost you a penny," Liam said teasingly.
"Go on then, lad, tell me. I've always been one for seizing a bargain, and if I can give it, I will!" Ned replied.
"I'd like us to give the horse a name; a proper name," Liam said.
"A name! Give the critter a name?" Ned echoed in disbelief. "And what name would we be giving him?" Ned asked.
"Lafferty's Lady sounds swell to me," Liam remarked.
"If that's all it takes to keep thee happy, lad, then who am I to deny your wishes. Besides you've earned it five times over these past few years. If the truth be known, the critter responds to your touch and command every bit as much as mine these days!" Ned replied.
So the Cob was duly named 'Laffety's Lady'; a name it had been answering to during Ned's afternoon absence for many months before he'd stopped drinking during the working day.
'Keep up the good work, lad,' Ned told Liam. " I'm fair pleased with you!"
"A name! Give the critter a name?" Ned echoed in disbelief. "And what name would we be giving him?" Ned asked.
"Lafferty's Lady sounds swell to me," Liam remarked.
"If that's all it takes to keep thee happy, lad, then who am I to deny your wishes. Besides you've earned it five times over these past few years. If the truth be known, the critter responds to your touch and command every bit as much as mine these days!" Ned replied.
So the Cob was duly named 'Laffety's Lady'; a name it had been answering to during Ned's afternoon absence for many months before he'd stopped drinking during the working day.
'Keep up the good work, lad,' Ned told Liam. " I'm fair pleased with you!"
The evening that Liam spent at Ned's home for his birthday celebration was very enlightening for the young apprentice. By the time that Liam arrived around 7pm, Ned was busily in the thick of it.
Ned had decided to make Irish stew and a big pot of colcannon. There were very few meals that Ned was unable to make as he'd had to look after himself ever since he'd arrived in Waterford from Donegal all those years ago. In fact, he was an excellent cook.
Alongside the bowl of Irish stew stood a plate of colcannon potatoes; a fluffy pile with a sort of well in the centre that was filled with melted butter. The idea was to dip each forkful into the melted butter before eating it.
"This.....is......," Liam started to say after having tasted the first few mouthfuls.
"Yes," replied a smiling Ned,adding, "You seem surprised, lad, that old Ned here can boil a bit of stew in an old pot and mash a few spuds together?"
"To tell the truth, I am rather!" Liam replied.
Ned had decided to make Irish stew and a big pot of colcannon. There were very few meals that Ned was unable to make as he'd had to look after himself ever since he'd arrived in Waterford from Donegal all those years ago. In fact, he was an excellent cook.
Alongside the bowl of Irish stew stood a plate of colcannon potatoes; a fluffy pile with a sort of well in the centre that was filled with melted butter. The idea was to dip each forkful into the melted butter before eating it.
"This.....is......," Liam started to say after having tasted the first few mouthfuls.
"Yes," replied a smiling Ned,adding, "You seem surprised, lad, that old Ned here can boil a bit of stew in an old pot and mash a few spuds together?"
"To tell the truth, I am rather!" Liam replied.
Liam didn't go home from Ned's that birthday evening. After serving the meal, Ned got out a crate of porter from the garden shed and he and his apprentice talked and drank, and talked some more and drank some more until Liam could hardly stand up on his two legs and Ned fell asleep with the cat in his lap! Ned's cat rarely left his side at home and it was as though the cat took its lead from its owner and would fall asleep anywhere. There had been many occasions when Ned had searched for Molly the cat, only to find her asleep on the corrugated roof of the shed as it laid on its back, with another strange cat at its side. Whether it was a long walk, a big meal, a spot of sun basking or bit of sex Molly had just enjoyed, the cat always seemed to round off the occasion with a sound sleep on a hot tin roof.
During the evening Ned talked to Liam more than he'd ever talked to any other person since leaving Donegal. Indeed the more porter he drank, the more his tongue appeared to loosen. He showed Liam a picture of himself being held by his grandmother when he was in his first year of life. From the clothes of the woman in the photograph, Liam could tell that Ned had originated from the poorest of circumstances.
Liam judged the moment ripe to ask his gaffer about the framed photographs on the ledge of his fireplace. Upon being asked about the man and the child, Ned initially reverted to type and seemed to clam up. Two minutes of uneasy silence afterwards he seemed to drum up the courage and spoke again.
"Sorry, lad, if I seemed rude by my silence, but.....it's just..... it's been a long time and ......... the picture of my Da holding me in his arms reminds me of other times.........times I should have been with my own bairn as he was growing up, but never was," Ned said.
"I never knew you'd had a young one. Was it the.....was it the drink that stopped you being with your bairn?" Liam asked hesitantly.
"Nay, lad, despite being on the road at the time, I hardly drank in those days," Ned replied. "It was some time after that I took to imbibing larger amounts of alcohol. Aye, it was many years later before I got too partial to the stout and porter."
"What is the child's name?" Liam asked cautiously. He didn't want to appear too inquisitive and lead to it making Ned clam up now that he'd started to talk a bit about his own upbringing.
"I don't know..........you see I never gave it one!" Ned replied in a tone that contained a note of distinct embarrassment allied to sadness.
"Never............but......it's not a cart horse!" Liam said in surprise."It's a bairn and every child deserves a name!"
Liam judged the moment ripe to ask his gaffer about the framed photographs on the ledge of his fireplace. Upon being asked about the man and the child, Ned initially reverted to type and seemed to clam up. Two minutes of uneasy silence afterwards he seemed to drum up the courage and spoke again.
"Sorry, lad, if I seemed rude by my silence, but.....it's just..... it's been a long time and ......... the picture of my Da holding me in his arms reminds me of other times.........times I should have been with my own bairn as he was growing up, but never was," Ned said.
"I never knew you'd had a young one. Was it the.....was it the drink that stopped you being with your bairn?" Liam asked hesitantly.
"Nay, lad, despite being on the road at the time, I hardly drank in those days," Ned replied. "It was some time after that I took to imbibing larger amounts of alcohol. Aye, it was many years later before I got too partial to the stout and porter."
"What is the child's name?" Liam asked cautiously. He didn't want to appear too inquisitive and lead to it making Ned clam up now that he'd started to talk a bit about his own upbringing.
"I don't know..........you see I never gave it one!" Ned replied in a tone that contained a note of distinct embarrassment allied to sadness.
"Never............but......it's not a cart horse!" Liam said in surprise."It's a bairn and every child deserves a name!"
Ned took hold of the framed photograph and looked at it with a tenderness that Liam had never previously seen registered in the face of his boss. Minutes later, Ned was shedding a few tears as he looked at the image of his late father holding him in his arms as an infant. In contrast to that framed image of himself and his father that he treasured, he thought about the cruel reality that no similar photograph of himself holding his own son ever existed.
By midnight, the crate of porter that had previously contained eighteen pint bottles had been emptied along with the sad outpourings of Ned's tale of blighted happiness and fatherhood. Ned also showed Liam the only photo he possessed of himself and sister as children alongside his dear mother.
Ned told Liam that his child was a son who would now be aged around the same number of years as Liam was, eighteen. Ned had fallen in love with a Donegal lass called Molly (whom he'd named his beloved cat after), and despite him having come from a travelling family, Molly had expressed love for the Donegal gypsy. Molly's parents, who were described as being 'well to do' however, were dead against the match from the start, especially after they had learned of Ned's gypsy background. They were relentless in the emotional pressure they put on their only daughter and did everything possible to dissuade Molly from such a union. They strongly advised Molly not to ruin her life by tying herself up with a gypsy, his travelling ways and strange customs.
Ned told Liam that his child was a son who would now be aged around the same number of years as Liam was, eighteen. Ned had fallen in love with a Donegal lass called Molly (whom he'd named his beloved cat after), and despite him having come from a travelling family, Molly had expressed love for the Donegal gypsy. Molly's parents, who were described as being 'well to do' however, were dead against the match from the start, especially after they had learned of Ned's gypsy background. They were relentless in the emotional pressure they put on their only daughter and did everything possible to dissuade Molly from such a union. They strongly advised Molly not to ruin her life by tying herself up with a gypsy, his travelling ways and strange customs.
Molly's parents first threatened to cut her off without a penny if she maintained contact with Ned and when that didn't work, next they turned her out of the family home in the hope that it would shame their daughter and bring her back to her senses. Instead, Molly and Ned decided to show that their commitment wasn't an idle one and so they started to live together as man and wife and began their open cohabitation as 'travellers of the road.'
For Molly, this dramatic change in her life's circumstances was reflected in the much poorer standard of living she was now subjected to and the frequent uncertainty of which farmer's field their next meal of turnips, potatoes and carrots came from. Soon after they'd started living together, Molly became pregnant. She attempted a final reconciliation with her parents, but once they learned of her pregnancy outside marriage, they publicly disowned her and ordered her never to visit or contact the family home again.
The rejection of her parents wounded Molly deeply and for the remaining months of her pregnancy, she existed in a depressive state of mind and body; so much so that she couldn't be consoled, not even by her intended, Ned. She had initially hoped that once her parents had learned of her pregnancy that they would have put all enmity against Ned to one side, if for no other sake than the sake of their soon-to-be only grandchild. However, when her parents didn't relent, but instead hardened their hearts against the couple, Molly knew that they would never come round while she and Ned remained a couple.
So in the midst of her blinding torture and the barbed-wire pit of emotional disturbance she had fallen into, Molly resolved to break the bond between herself and Ned in the only way left open to her. She loved Ned too much, ever to deliberately separate herself from him in life and so the only solution in her twisted thought structure was to seek her answer in death itself! Molly had irrationally concluded in her own mind that if she and Ned were no longer a couple living together, then her parents would somehow magically grow to accept both of them and their child as individuals once more.
For Molly, this dramatic change in her life's circumstances was reflected in the much poorer standard of living she was now subjected to and the frequent uncertainty of which farmer's field their next meal of turnips, potatoes and carrots came from. Soon after they'd started living together, Molly became pregnant. She attempted a final reconciliation with her parents, but once they learned of her pregnancy outside marriage, they publicly disowned her and ordered her never to visit or contact the family home again.
The rejection of her parents wounded Molly deeply and for the remaining months of her pregnancy, she existed in a depressive state of mind and body; so much so that she couldn't be consoled, not even by her intended, Ned. She had initially hoped that once her parents had learned of her pregnancy that they would have put all enmity against Ned to one side, if for no other sake than the sake of their soon-to-be only grandchild. However, when her parents didn't relent, but instead hardened their hearts against the couple, Molly knew that they would never come round while she and Ned remained a couple.
So in the midst of her blinding torture and the barbed-wire pit of emotional disturbance she had fallen into, Molly resolved to break the bond between herself and Ned in the only way left open to her. She loved Ned too much, ever to deliberately separate herself from him in life and so the only solution in her twisted thought structure was to seek her answer in death itself! Molly had irrationally concluded in her own mind that if she and Ned were no longer a couple living together, then her parents would somehow magically grow to accept both of them and their child as individuals once more.
Liam was to learn that during Molly's ninth month of pregnancy, the couple were living in a caravan in a Donegal field, less than half a mile away from the home of Molly's parents. Even though Molly hadn't achieved reconciliation with her parents, she hoped that her own planned action would eventually bring this about.
Every day Molly looked across the fields and could see the family home. She became more and more depressed and Ned didn't know how best to handle the situation. Whatever he said or did just didn't seem to offer the type and degree of comfort Molly required. She knew beyond any shadow of doubt that she had Ned's undying love, but that in itself wasn't enough for her. It was the love of her parents and their acceptance of Ned and their child which had been withheld which deeply wounded her and which she bitterly craved for.
One evening before the light had started to fade, tragedy struck and Ned's life became simply unbearable. Word came back to the gypsy camp that some poor woman had hanged herself from the branches of a larch tree in the nearby woods. By the time that Ned realised that Molly was nowhere to be found around the camp, two Garda approached the site and made inquiries as to the whereabouts of the unfortunate woman's next of kin.
Because Ned and Molly hadn't yet married, the Garda seemed more concerned with talking with Molly's parents as opposed to her gypsy lover who said he was the father of her unborn child. Ned indicated to Liam that the combination of learning that Molly had hanged herself and then being sidelined as to finding out anything further there and then about the incident, drove him to distraction. He found the sheer weight of his grief and despair simply too great to handle. The Garda doggedly refused to acknowledge Ned's right to be included in the unfolding of the tragic situation and would deal with none other than Molly Mulldew's next of kin; her parents. As far as the law was concerned, Ned had no rights to any personal knowledge pertaining to the deceased as they were not related by a church marriage.
Every day Molly looked across the fields and could see the family home. She became more and more depressed and Ned didn't know how best to handle the situation. Whatever he said or did just didn't seem to offer the type and degree of comfort Molly required. She knew beyond any shadow of doubt that she had Ned's undying love, but that in itself wasn't enough for her. It was the love of her parents and their acceptance of Ned and their child which had been withheld which deeply wounded her and which she bitterly craved for.
One evening before the light had started to fade, tragedy struck and Ned's life became simply unbearable. Word came back to the gypsy camp that some poor woman had hanged herself from the branches of a larch tree in the nearby woods. By the time that Ned realised that Molly was nowhere to be found around the camp, two Garda approached the site and made inquiries as to the whereabouts of the unfortunate woman's next of kin.
Because Ned and Molly hadn't yet married, the Garda seemed more concerned with talking with Molly's parents as opposed to her gypsy lover who said he was the father of her unborn child. Ned indicated to Liam that the combination of learning that Molly had hanged herself and then being sidelined as to finding out anything further there and then about the incident, drove him to distraction. He found the sheer weight of his grief and despair simply too great to handle. The Garda doggedly refused to acknowledge Ned's right to be included in the unfolding of the tragic situation and would deal with none other than Molly Mulldew's next of kin; her parents. As far as the law was concerned, Ned had no rights to any personal knowledge pertaining to the deceased as they were not related by a church marriage.
Three week's later the Inquest was held, but Ned could not abide the look of hatred he knew would be on the faces of Molly's parents were they to see him in attendance. So fearing that the parents would cause a scene if he showed up at the Inquest, Ned stayed away on the advice of a solicitor he had taken on.
As the Coroner delivered his verdict, Ned downed nine pints of porter in one of the Donegal pubs that served gypsies and then slept it off the whole afternoon in one of his cousin's covered wagons.
The Inquest delivered a verdict of death by suicide while Molly's mind was unbalanced. Molly's parents refused to have Ned at their daughter's funeral or burial service and made no attempt to even inform him of it. They blamed him for her death. Indeed, they went much farther than any amount of residual anger should ever allow a human to inflict upon another bereaved person. In order to prevent any likelihood of their daughter's gypsy lover attending Molly's funeral, the funeral service and burial was secretly arranged to take place in County Tipperary, the home of Francis Mulldew Esquire; Molly's grandparents and wealthy land owners of thereabouts.
As the Coroner delivered his verdict, Ned downed nine pints of porter in one of the Donegal pubs that served gypsies and then slept it off the whole afternoon in one of his cousin's covered wagons.
The Inquest delivered a verdict of death by suicide while Molly's mind was unbalanced. Molly's parents refused to have Ned at their daughter's funeral or burial service and made no attempt to even inform him of it. They blamed him for her death. Indeed, they went much farther than any amount of residual anger should ever allow a human to inflict upon another bereaved person. In order to prevent any likelihood of their daughter's gypsy lover attending Molly's funeral, the funeral service and burial was secretly arranged to take place in County Tipperary, the home of Francis Mulldew Esquire; Molly's grandparents and wealthy land owners of thereabouts.
Ned approached the parish priest in the hope that as Molly's intended, he felt like he had a God-given right to know the whereabouts and details of Molly's burial. The priest however was adamant that given the instructions of Molly's parents 'not to inform him nor any of Ned's friends or relatives,' his and the hands of the Catholic Church were bound to 'confidentiality'.
"The Catholic Church and my priestly duties will not permit me to inform you against the expressed wishes of the dead woman's parents," the priest added. Ned saw him as acting no better than a Pontius Pilate washing his hands as the mob took Christ off to torture and crucify him.
As Ned persisted, the priest became angrier and asked Ned to leave. It was at that precise moment that Ned silently swore to himself never again to grace the inside of a Catholic church with his presence and he left absolutely enraged that the Catholic Church could conspire against the just in order to comply with the wishes of two enbittered Pharisees.
"The Catholic Church and my priestly duties will not permit me to inform you against the expressed wishes of the dead woman's parents," the priest added. Ned saw him as acting no better than a Pontius Pilate washing his hands as the mob took Christ off to torture and crucify him.
As Ned persisted, the priest became angrier and asked Ned to leave. It was at that precise moment that Ned silently swore to himself never again to grace the inside of a Catholic church with his presence and he left absolutely enraged that the Catholic Church could conspire against the just in order to comply with the wishes of two enbittered Pharisees.
It was two day's after Molly's suicide before Ned heard some village gossip and inadvertently learned that Molly had been cut down from the tree mere minutes after she'd decided to take her own life. A nearby farmer had seen the suicide and rushed to help save the poor woman. He managed to hold her weight as she dangled from the rope until his young helper ran for the services of a nearby doctor. By the time the doctor arrived on the scene, Molly had just died, but the quick-witted medical man felt there to be the slightest of chances of saving the life of the unborn infant inside her if he acted courageously and quickly. He performed an emergency caesarian upon the dead body of Molly in the wood where she lay and his blind faith in his capacity to pull it off, miraculously helped the unborn child to be born into this life mere minutes after Molly had died.
The baby was removed from the dead woman's body inside an intact amniotic sac. Because the sac had not been punctured, the baby didn't realise that it had entered the outside world and still responded as though it was inside its mother's womb. During normal delivery, the sac bursts and releases its fluid waters. The delivering doctor had never experienced this phenomenon before. He'd witnessed a caesarian delivery being performed previously, but by a surgeon's hands and never his own. Also, such delicate deliveries are usually carried out under the clinical conditions of a hospital theatre and not on the natural carpeted ground of a wood. Doctor Driscoll kept his cool throughout and was flabbergasted to witness the child being born by caesarian delivery with the Amniotic Sac (a form of mysterious membrane), still around the infant's skull. The sac literally surrounding the infant's head like a helmeted creature of life, protected its tiny body from the harshness of exterior forces during the early moments of its life.
Initially, the farmer and his helper thought that the child had been delivered dead, but after Doctor Driscoll broke the sac surrounding the baby's face and head, the infant cried out. Prior to that moment the doctor explained, the infant had been breathing inside the sac and feeding off the placenta.
Upon hearing that there was indeed a child, Ned sought legal advice from a local firm of solicitors in Clonmel (Joseph Nolan Solicitors), who dealt with the gypsy community. After paying out a few hundred pounds (an amount of money which he needed to borrow from friends and family and could ill-afford to repay with any certainty), he learned that Molly's parents had already applied for the formal and legal adoption of the child. Ned continued to press his case to have himself acknowledged as being the child's blood father and although he could prove to have the same blood group type as that of the child's blood father, that in itself would not prove paternity beyond all doubt. All he seemed able to prove was the possibility that he 'might have been' the child's father and not that 'he was'. Under such circumstances, there was simply no way that Catholic Ireland was about to hand an orphan infant over to a travelling tinker of dubious origin and uncertain connection when the bairn's natural Maternal Grandparents seemed happy to adopt the boy and bring him up as one of their own in extremely good material circumstances and the Roman Catholic faith!
Ned had been well and truly screwed over by the church, the state and the respective difference in the overall circumstances of himself and Molly's parents.
Ned had been well and truly screwed over by the church, the state and the respective difference in the overall circumstances of himself and Molly's parents.
"So you see, lad," Ned told Liam, "There was no way that I was about to be given a look in. Naturally I complained to the Children's Social Services and threatened to kick up a fuss, but the only concession and courtesy I received was to see my son once for a measly fifteen minutes, on the strict proviso that the visit would be supervised by a government worker from the Children's Services and that no photograph would be taken during it. If I agreed to all this, as well as formally dropping all outstanding claims of being the boy's natural father, then and only then, could I see him on that one occasion. That is why I treasure the few snap shots I possess of my own parents, grandma and sister as they were the only family I have any images of, lad."
"But the boy's name?" Liam asked again. "Why had't he been given a name?"
"They said that until my claim for parenthood had been abandoned and the way was clear for the adopting grandparents to baptise the boy with a Catholic name of their own choice, it was senseless for the boy to be called 'this' now and 'that' later," Ned remarked in a tone of voice that was influenced greatly by a surfeit of porter intake.
"But the boy's name?" Liam asked again. "Why had't he been given a name?"
"They said that until my claim for parenthood had been abandoned and the way was clear for the adopting grandparents to baptise the boy with a Catholic name of their own choice, it was senseless for the boy to be called 'this' now and 'that' later," Ned remarked in a tone of voice that was influenced greatly by a surfeit of porter intake.
After telling his sad tale, Ned made his way to his bedroom where he collapsed on the bed and within five minutes was snoring his head off. Liam had drunk too much to safely make his own way home, so he curled up on the settee under an old blanket he found and also fell fast asleep.
The following morning, Ned was the first to rise and he stirred Liam awake.
"Time for you to make yourself ready for work, lad," Ned said. "Get washed while I make us a couple of egg and cabbage sandwiches, and then off."
As he ate his hurried breakfast snack, Liam thought, "Only in Ireland would anyone dream of putting cabbage in with egg to make up the filling of a sandwich!"
Despite all the secrets that Ned had poured out during the previous night, what Ned had spoken of was not mentioned again to another for many years to come. It was as though this secretive man, who'd never before told anyone anything about himself and background had seen a window of opportunity that night to speak in safety and he took it; no doubt heavily assisted by the intake of numerous bottles of porter that he and his birthday guest had consumed!
The following morning, Ned was the first to rise and he stirred Liam awake.
"Time for you to make yourself ready for work, lad," Ned said. "Get washed while I make us a couple of egg and cabbage sandwiches, and then off."
As he ate his hurried breakfast snack, Liam thought, "Only in Ireland would anyone dream of putting cabbage in with egg to make up the filling of a sandwich!"
Despite all the secrets that Ned had poured out during the previous night, what Ned had spoken of was not mentioned again to another for many years to come. It was as though this secretive man, who'd never before told anyone anything about himself and background had seen a window of opportunity that night to speak in safety and he took it; no doubt heavily assisted by the intake of numerous bottles of porter that he and his birthday guest had consumed!
Click here for the next page
|
Click here for the previous page
|