Peter Gartland
Published: 2007-09-20
Total Pages: 246
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Tomas Mulholland swears to avenge his dead father, murdered by Captain James Spencer-Lambert, during the 1916 Easter Uprising in Dublin. Involved in the death of a priest himself, he flees to England. There he re-encounters Spencer-Lambert, now a wealthy coal owner in County Durham. Working in Eastinglea Colliery, owned by the Lamberts, he progresses to District Overman and is held in high regard. He establishes an IRA cell, fronted as the Christian Mens Charitable Society (C.M.C.S.), working to relieve the ravages of WWII. His cousin, fellow migr Michael Railley, is second-in-command; his two sons are his lieutenants. An assortment of enthusiastic soldiers makes up the Company. As Republicanism wanes in Ireland, Tomass plans become thwarted. Michael gets alarmed as Tomass frustration changes to fanaticism, when the IRAs Army Council calls a halt to his activities.Tomas ignores them and develops his own agenda. Dermot is the runt of the Mulholland litter, years younger than Bridgett, his sister. Dermots adult brothers pay him scant regard, and his sons genteel nature perplexes Tomas, who distances himself from the boy. His fathers disregard hurts Dermot deeply. His mother discovers Dermots religious leanings, and guideshim to the priesthood. Margarets pride in Dermot contrasts sharply with Tomass bitter contempt for things religious. Their difference becomestotally irreconcilable once Dermot is ordained. Appointed curate in a parish near Eastinglea, Dermot determines to intervene when Michael Railley makes him aware of Tomass treasonous activities, but he, alerted to his sons intentions, neutralizes all interference - in the confessional. Bridgetts life too is disrupted by her fathers destructive agenda, when her beloved James joins the C.M.C.S. Losing the battle for James loyalties, she finds herself alone - and pregnant! Engulfing the lives of those who love him most, Tomass futile crusade rages on to its tragic conclusion.