Galway Bay by Mary Pat Kelly

Author:Mary Pat Kelly [KELLY, MARY PAT]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: FIC000000
ISBN: 9780446545075
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2009-02-09T05:00:00+00:00

A week now since that morning. The Keeleys had welcomed us, feeding us from the little they had themselves. They said, “Of course you have a place here!” But how could we impose on them? Black ’47 had brought death and evictions to the Ard Keeleys. The Sean Mors, the whole family, had died of fever. The blight had destroyed all potatoes here, too. Our cousins could only hope the fishing would sustain them this year. Two families had left for Amerikay in the spring, but no word had come from them.

“Don’t know if they’re living or dead,” said Sean Og, the leader since his cousin Sean Mor’s death. “Terrible journey,” he’d said to me.

A terrible journey. But one I would make.

I knew I had to go. The path of moonlight Michael sent had brought us to the sea and pointed the way toward Amerikay. I’d find a ship somehow. Even if Máire, Mam, and Da stayed, the children and I must escape. Michael wanted us to live.

I walked with Sean Og on the strand and told him my plan. I would row out into the sea and intercept a sailing ship.

“Impossible,” he said. “Mad entirely.”

Wait for the spring season, book passage with the Clifden shipping agent, he told me. But I knew in a way I couldn’t explain that another winter of starving would kill my sons and Bridget.

I pointed out toward Mac Dara’s Island. “Don’t the ships slow down near the island where Galway Bay and the Atlantic meet?” I asked.

He admitted they did. The captains needed to gauge the wind and tides as the ships moved from coastal waters into the sea. But the lookout might not see the curragh, and even if he did, the captain would never take us aboard. Jimmy Jimmy Hughie’s son had been refused. Others had tried, and the big ships had nearly run them over.

“I’m determined, Sean Og,” I said.

Máire, coming across the strand to us, heard me.

“Determined to do what?” she asked.

Sean told her, shrugging his shoulders, shaking his head. Beside himself.

Máire put her two hands on my shoulders.

“Don’t say anything, Máire. I’m going. I have to.”

“Then I’ll go with you, Honora.”

“Oh, Máire!” I hugged her.

“Honora’s a fierce woman when her mind’s made up,” Máire said to Sean Og. “You may as well help us.”

Sean Og admitted he knew when the big ships were coming— signals came from up the coast. Old contacts from his smuggling days.

But we’d have only a few hours’ notice. Get ready.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.