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My Books
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- Strictly for Adults Novels >
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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
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Celebrity Contacts
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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
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Chapter Ten
'Tragedy hits the family'
Life proceeded happily for Liam and Trish for the next six years, during which time another two children were born, both boys. Their two sons were called Liam and Brendan. Throughout this period, the couple's relationship with their Donegal friend Farley grew ever stronger and never a month would pass before Farley would be making one of his regular weekend visits to their cottage in Kilbunny.
The relationship between Farley and Liam was eased considerably by the good relationship that Farley and Ned now enjoyed. Farley's horse-breeding business had taken off and although he still focused the central thrust of his business upon the breeding and sales of Shire horses, occasionally he would experiment with other breeds.
By their sixth year of life, the twins were given a present of two magnificent Red Exmoor Ponies for their birthday by 'Uncle Farley' as he'd affectionately become known. The twins were simply over the moon with their equine gifts and couldn't wait to commence proper riding lessons.
Farley told the twins that the Exmoor breed of pony had always fascinated him, almost as much as the Shire horse had. "These are magnificent creatures," Farley told the twins. "The breed is a native of the British Isles and has occupied large areas of marshy lands and moorland since 400 BC when they were used for transport in Devon and Cornwall. Even the Doomsday Book records ponies on Exmoor as far back as 1086 and descendants of ponies removed from the moor in 1818 form the foundation bloodstock of today's Exmoor breed. The breed nearly became extinct after the Second World War as a result of soldiers using them for target practice and thieves killing them for their meat. There are a number of us today who wish to preserve this noble breed and I was invited a year ago to join the Exmoor Pony Society, which seeks to get some of the breed re-homed with new owners. That's why the breed held instant appeal for me, Lucy and Patricia. You see, ever since they got married, your parents have kindly befriended me and invited me into their lives and family. In a way, you see, girls, they re-homed me to some extent. In fact, had it not been through meeting them, I would never have found my father Ned again. I owe them so much. That's why I'm getting to love Exmoor more and more."
The relationship between Farley and Liam was eased considerably by the good relationship that Farley and Ned now enjoyed. Farley's horse-breeding business had taken off and although he still focused the central thrust of his business upon the breeding and sales of Shire horses, occasionally he would experiment with other breeds.
By their sixth year of life, the twins were given a present of two magnificent Red Exmoor Ponies for their birthday by 'Uncle Farley' as he'd affectionately become known. The twins were simply over the moon with their equine gifts and couldn't wait to commence proper riding lessons.
Farley told the twins that the Exmoor breed of pony had always fascinated him, almost as much as the Shire horse had. "These are magnificent creatures," Farley told the twins. "The breed is a native of the British Isles and has occupied large areas of marshy lands and moorland since 400 BC when they were used for transport in Devon and Cornwall. Even the Doomsday Book records ponies on Exmoor as far back as 1086 and descendants of ponies removed from the moor in 1818 form the foundation bloodstock of today's Exmoor breed. The breed nearly became extinct after the Second World War as a result of soldiers using them for target practice and thieves killing them for their meat. There are a number of us today who wish to preserve this noble breed and I was invited a year ago to join the Exmoor Pony Society, which seeks to get some of the breed re-homed with new owners. That's why the breed held instant appeal for me, Lucy and Patricia. You see, ever since they got married, your parents have kindly befriended me and invited me into their lives and family. In a way, you see, girls, they re-homed me to some extent. In fact, had it not been through meeting them, I would never have found my father Ned again. I owe them so much. That's why I'm getting to love Exmoor more and more."
"Mummy, Daddy, Uncle Farley said 'more and more.' He said he loves the Exmoor 'more and more'. Silly Uncle Farley," Patricia giggled to her sister.
"Can we ride them now, Mummy? Please can we?" the twins pleaded.
"They will need to get used to you and being around humans before they will be ready for saddling," Farley told them. "That's all part of the re-homing. I deliberately chose not to re-home them myself, but instead to leave that to the Lafferty family."
"You'll be old enough for lessons after you've shown me and your father that you are able to feed, rub them down properly, bed them at the end of their day and muck out their stables,"their mother said.
"But............but that's not fair Mummy! That's not fair, you Jolly old stinker! We'll be too old before we learn to do all that!" the twins protested.
"That's enough of your cheek," their mother told them. "Now say thank you to Uncle Farley here for his beautiful presents before I add shoeing the ponies to my list of things you must first do before you can saddle them!"
"Thank you, Uncle Farley for our super birthday presents. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Lucy said; sentiments her sister richly echoed.
"Can we ride them now, Mummy? Please can we?" the twins pleaded.
"They will need to get used to you and being around humans before they will be ready for saddling," Farley told them. "That's all part of the re-homing. I deliberately chose not to re-home them myself, but instead to leave that to the Lafferty family."
"You'll be old enough for lessons after you've shown me and your father that you are able to feed, rub them down properly, bed them at the end of their day and muck out their stables,"their mother said.
"But............but that's not fair Mummy! That's not fair, you Jolly old stinker! We'll be too old before we learn to do all that!" the twins protested.
"That's enough of your cheek," their mother told them. "Now say thank you to Uncle Farley here for his beautiful presents before I add shoeing the ponies to my list of things you must first do before you can saddle them!"
"Thank you, Uncle Farley for our super birthday presents. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Lucy said; sentiments her sister richly echoed.
Much time was spent teaching the children how to look after their ponies over the coming year. Liam had arranged for the building of adequate stables to house the ponies. Their two younger brothers who were two and three years younger than their older sisters also liked to see the ponies whenever possible. Patricia and Lucy were most reluctant when it came to mucking out the stables, but Trish was determined that her children would learn to discharge all of their responsibilities if they were to own creatures who depended on them.
At a time when the happiness of the Lafferty family was at its highest and when it seemed that things could not possibly get any better, tragedy struck them a series of bitter blows from which they never fully recovered.
It started when Trish was diagnosed with a tumour in her brain which required an immediate operation. The outcome was highly uncertain and the medical prognosis was poor. Ned willingly carried on with the coal round, allowing Liam to spend as much of his time as possible with Trish. On the day of her operation as she was wheeled to the operating theatre, Liam kissed her tenderly and tried to be reassuring. The shaven-headed Trish tried to smile back, but all she could muster was a tearful, "I love you, Liam. I always have. Look after the children for me."
Against all the medical odds, Trish's operation proved successful and Liam was informed that the tumour had been successfully removed. "We cannot be sure of any aftermath effects as its too early yet to say, but she may be subject to mood disorientation from time to time," the surgeon told him.
"The good news though is that she displayed the strength to survive the operation as it was touch and go on a number of occasions during it."
Liam returned home that evening much lighter of heart and able to tell the children that their mother would get better and would be home again soon. He was still in shock and his face was filled with a look of relief. Farley took two weeks off his work to help with the child care as both Ned and Trish's dad were tied up running their businesses.
It started when Trish was diagnosed with a tumour in her brain which required an immediate operation. The outcome was highly uncertain and the medical prognosis was poor. Ned willingly carried on with the coal round, allowing Liam to spend as much of his time as possible with Trish. On the day of her operation as she was wheeled to the operating theatre, Liam kissed her tenderly and tried to be reassuring. The shaven-headed Trish tried to smile back, but all she could muster was a tearful, "I love you, Liam. I always have. Look after the children for me."
Against all the medical odds, Trish's operation proved successful and Liam was informed that the tumour had been successfully removed. "We cannot be sure of any aftermath effects as its too early yet to say, but she may be subject to mood disorientation from time to time," the surgeon told him.
"The good news though is that she displayed the strength to survive the operation as it was touch and go on a number of occasions during it."
Liam returned home that evening much lighter of heart and able to tell the children that their mother would get better and would be home again soon. He was still in shock and his face was filled with a look of relief. Farley took two weeks off his work to help with the child care as both Ned and Trish's dad were tied up running their businesses.
One day after Trish's operation, news reached Liam at home that Trish's father had suffered a massive heart attack at the forge and had died at his place of work. He was discovered one hour after incurring his heart attack by someone from Tipperary who'd called to have his horse shod.
With Trish still being extremely poorly following her operation, it was a further two days and nights before Liam felt able to tell her the sad news that her dear father had died so soon after her brain operation. She was literally distraught and the hospital staff feared that the shock would delay her period of recovery. The first time she looked in the mirror at home, she seemed shocked by her baldness. Liam told her to wear her bald head with pride as it was the mark of a cancer surviver.
Having been discharged from hospital after eight days, Trish was let out the morning of her father's funeral, which had been delayed in order to facilitate her presence. She was still deeply depressed and had it not been for Farley and Ned who looked after the four children while Liam held up his wife at the graveside, they didn't know how they could have got through the ordeal.
Throughout the service, Trish felt emotionally drained and numb. She heard the words that the priest said at the service and also at the graveside, but none of them registered or made sense to her. As her father's coffin was lowered into the ground she felt so cold and empty that had it not been for Liam holding her arm firmly, she would have willingly collapsed into the grave also and been buried beneath all the soil and debris with him.
Throughout the service, Trish felt emotionally drained and numb. She heard the words that the priest said at the service and also at the graveside, but none of them registered or made sense to her. As her father's coffin was lowered into the ground she felt so cold and empty that had it not been for Liam holding her arm firmly, she would have willingly collapsed into the grave also and been buried beneath all the soil and debris with him.
Following the funeral of her father, the family forge in Tipperary remained closed for three months. Trish just didn't seem to be able to find the where-with-all to return to her work as a blacksmith. Liam ensured that he arrived home from work as soon as possible each day and could see that Trish was finding it hard to even perform her mothering responsibilities to the four children. Fortunately three of the children now attended First school, leaving Trish with young Liam to manage throughout the day. Farley made a point of visiting every weekend and he would frequently encourage Trish to take a walk with him.
For some reason Trish found it extremely difficult to talk about what was troubling her to her husband Liam and however attentive and sensitive he proved to be with her, she just wouldn't open up to him. In this respect, the regular presence of Farley on the home scene helped the family tremendously. Liam was obliged to gradually admit that which countless others had admitted before him, 'that one can be too close to another person to help them or encourage them to confide in you.'
Trish would talk to Farley and tell him things on their walks that she would never have told her husband. She often revealed her inner fears to Farley and he listened without moralising or passing any judgement.
"This mess would never have happened if I'd died in the operating theatre like I was expected to," she told Farley to his surprise one weekend while out walking the country lane with him.
"Whatever do you mean, woman? You're talking rubbish!" Farley replied.
Another distinction between Farley and her husband, Liam, was that Farley would brook no nonsense talk from Trish and he would quickly pull her up if he considered her comments to be too wild or irrational.
"I.... I get the feeling that I should have died in the hospital and because I didn't die on the operating table like Liam thought I would, I have upset everything. I sometimes....feel that Liam now treats me as though I am dead and as a dead person, I don't need to be considered any more than being presented with a bunch of flowers every now and then when he visits. Yes.... visits. It's like he doesn't really live with me any more, Farley. He spends all the hours of the day at work with visits to his home base between the start and end of his daily coal round," Trish said amid tears.
For some reason Trish found it extremely difficult to talk about what was troubling her to her husband Liam and however attentive and sensitive he proved to be with her, she just wouldn't open up to him. In this respect, the regular presence of Farley on the home scene helped the family tremendously. Liam was obliged to gradually admit that which countless others had admitted before him, 'that one can be too close to another person to help them or encourage them to confide in you.'
Trish would talk to Farley and tell him things on their walks that she would never have told her husband. She often revealed her inner fears to Farley and he listened without moralising or passing any judgement.
"This mess would never have happened if I'd died in the operating theatre like I was expected to," she told Farley to his surprise one weekend while out walking the country lane with him.
"Whatever do you mean, woman? You're talking rubbish!" Farley replied.
Another distinction between Farley and her husband, Liam, was that Farley would brook no nonsense talk from Trish and he would quickly pull her up if he considered her comments to be too wild or irrational.
"I.... I get the feeling that I should have died in the hospital and because I didn't die on the operating table like Liam thought I would, I have upset everything. I sometimes....feel that Liam now treats me as though I am dead and as a dead person, I don't need to be considered any more than being presented with a bunch of flowers every now and then when he visits. Yes.... visits. It's like he doesn't really live with me any more, Farley. He spends all the hours of the day at work with visits to his home base between the start and end of his daily coal round," Trish said amid tears.
This conversation with Trish worried Farley so much that he felt obliged to break Trish's confidence and tell her husband as to how she really felt.
"That makes considerable sense," Liam said upon being informed, "especially as a large part of it holds some truth. I did expect her to die and was...... pleased, yet shocked when it didn't happen and she miraculously pulled through against the odds. And as for being unable to comfort her, I do find that these days she tends to keep me at a distance. All I can say Farley, dear friend, is thank God She has got someone she feels able to talk with. Thank God we've got you, Farley!"
"That makes considerable sense," Liam said upon being informed, "especially as a large part of it holds some truth. I did expect her to die and was...... pleased, yet shocked when it didn't happen and she miraculously pulled through against the odds. And as for being unable to comfort her, I do find that these days she tends to keep me at a distance. All I can say Farley, dear friend, is thank God She has got someone she feels able to talk with. Thank God we've got you, Farley!"
It was at that moment that Liam felt it to be appropriate to also inform Farley of other concerns in his life of which he had so far kept to himself.
"I'm sorry to have to burden you further my friend, but there is another matter we need to talk about and given that we are into telling the truth tonight, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, I feel that I need to tell you something important," Liam said in a serious voice.
"Two weeks before Trish's operation, I got my usual annual medical check up and....."
"Good God, man. Not ....... not you too!" Farley remarked as he interrupted Liam.
"The doctor took some blood tests as my immune system seemed to be low and when he got back to me with the results ten days after, I learned that I had a condition called Chronic Lymphatic Leaukemia (CLL). I'm afraid that the condition is terminal and that there is no cure once it has passed the first stage. I don't know how long............hopefully a few years, but it could be sooner; dependent on how quickly my white blood cell count continues to increase. The cruel irony is that the condition is very uncommon in anyone under the age of forty,"Liam said.
"I'm so sorry my dear friend to hear this sad news," Farley said as he gave his friend a loving hug. "Of course I will do anything I can to help. When are you going to tell Trish?" Farley asked.
"I don't know, but not until she's hopefully back to her old self again, Farley. Meanwhile, I'd appreciate it if you will continue to be there for her. Some days I don't really possess the energy to work the coal round and lift the full sacks of coal. It will only be a matter of time before your dad, Ned, notices that all isn't as it should be," Liam said.
"I'm sorry to have to burden you further my friend, but there is another matter we need to talk about and given that we are into telling the truth tonight, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, I feel that I need to tell you something important," Liam said in a serious voice.
"Two weeks before Trish's operation, I got my usual annual medical check up and....."
"Good God, man. Not ....... not you too!" Farley remarked as he interrupted Liam.
"The doctor took some blood tests as my immune system seemed to be low and when he got back to me with the results ten days after, I learned that I had a condition called Chronic Lymphatic Leaukemia (CLL). I'm afraid that the condition is terminal and that there is no cure once it has passed the first stage. I don't know how long............hopefully a few years, but it could be sooner; dependent on how quickly my white blood cell count continues to increase. The cruel irony is that the condition is very uncommon in anyone under the age of forty,"Liam said.
"I'm so sorry my dear friend to hear this sad news," Farley said as he gave his friend a loving hug. "Of course I will do anything I can to help. When are you going to tell Trish?" Farley asked.
"I don't know, but not until she's hopefully back to her old self again, Farley. Meanwhile, I'd appreciate it if you will continue to be there for her. Some days I don't really possess the energy to work the coal round and lift the full sacks of coal. It will only be a matter of time before your dad, Ned, notices that all isn't as it should be," Liam said.
That weekend when the time had arrived for Farley to return to Donegal, he left his two closest friends and their four young children with the heaviest of hearts. He had taken the decision to inform his father Ned of Liam's health issues and despite being deeply shocked to hear such news, Ned was grateful to have been kept in the loop.
"Much better to be in the loop than out of it!" Ned told his son, Farley as he waved him off at the railway station.
"I'll be back down next weekend, Dad; perhaps early Friday, if I can manage to rearrange things. Meanwhile, take care. Love you."
"And I love you, Son," Ned proudly replied. Ned felt so good to be able to say such words to his dear son at long last.
"Much better to be in the loop than out of it!" Ned told his son, Farley as he waved him off at the railway station.
"I'll be back down next weekend, Dad; perhaps early Friday, if I can manage to rearrange things. Meanwhile, take care. Love you."
"And I love you, Son," Ned proudly replied. Ned felt so good to be able to say such words to his dear son at long last.
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