NEW JERSEY New York City 1863 North River Castle Garden immigration station St Francis Xavier Church St Peter Church Canal Street Five Points neighborhood Bowery Big Al's Theater 15th Street Real location Fictional location Streets BROOKLYN
1 Hudson River Ryan's Grocery MANHATTAN CENTRAL PARK Madison Square Columbia College Treadwell House Lord Taylor Dry Goods Colored Orphan Asylum 60th Street Second Avenue Armory East River Blackwell's Island QUEENS Mile 50 0 25 75 0 1 5 50 1 Kilometers
CHAPTER 1 THURSDAY MARCH 19 1863 Granny says I’m seven devils in one pair of shoes She doesn’t know the half of it Trouble is always nipping at my heels Tonight it’s me and all seven of them devils tiptoeing tiptoeing past sleeping folk in the hold and them that are coughing too hard to sleep I step over bags and babies I skirt around foul-smelling puddles and kick at rats I can’t just lie in the dark and hear Granny cough and feel her shaking with fever and do nothing nothing If Kathleen gives up her daily bread for me one more time I’ll die of shame If I was bigger I’d clout her over the head and make her eat her own portion 1
fair and square She was having none of it You’re the last of the name Daniel O’Carolan she said to me over the midday ration I swore I’d protect you and you’ll eat what I give you or take a hiding that’ll flay the skin right off you Granny won’t take her food either Our whole long walk from the poorhouse in Ballyvourney to the docks in Cove she divided out every crumb we ever begged for in three even shares But the fever has hold of her by the throat and she’s changed All the strength goes to you now she said to me She handed back the bread You two will need every bit of it You’ll eat what I give you Kathleen said to Granny sliding straight into the role of woman of the house without invitation It’s you we need she added We don’t know a soul in New York You’ll not be alone Granny said She tapped her bundle with a knowing smile She’s kept it at her side ever since last summer when the landlord burned us out of our home She’s guarded it fiercely day and night When I ask her what’s in it she only says It’s ours and tells wild stories about the old kings of Ireland and their great feasts in their golden halls and the master harpers 2
