Luck of the Irish: Powerful saga of an Irish family arriving in England just as World War II is declared

by Ronnie Carroll

Overview

Luck of the Irish

World War II has produced unspeakable horrors. The war ended 67 years ago yet still more human dramas are. emerging. The personal consequences to families and individuals, of their nature, were not the subject of historical record. But nevertheless pain and sorrow was deep and lasting. Our story covers the experiences of an Irish family forced to emigrate. They could barely afford to eat let alone clothe themselves. From this anguish and despair they found that they'd landed in England right at the outbreak of war.

We follow the consequences of the evacuation to the children. The two boys experienced cruelty, violent beatings and deprivation. One of the two girls was abused by a paedophile. They were both then confined in a convent for five years. Noel and Ronnie had eventful military experiences and Mary and Clare had hapless and very unfortunate marriages. Mrs Carroll on her own, performed miracles to create a home and an income for the family, in the absence if the father who had gone off and volunteered for the army.

Many families paid a high price for the government policy of evacuation; ostensibly "for their protection" But none suffered more than the Carroll family. Ronnie's family, including his wife of 44 years, died around him. In sadness and desolation he foresaw only a lonely old age in front of him - then came a phone call from Australia

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781477123546
Publisher:	Xlibris AU
Publication date:	09/26/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	439
File size:	495 KB

Editorial Reviews

The haunting memoir of a troubled Irish family irrevocably torn apart by World War II. The ill-omened Carroll family--parents Bridie and Jim, children Mary, Noel, Ronnie and Clare, and their grandmother--arrives in London on the brink of war. Fleeing the poverty of their native Ireland, the Carrolls seem unlikely candidates for success; in particular, Jim has more charm than job qualifications. Britain's decision to evacuate London's children to rural locations--purportedly for their safety--is made against the advice of the experts, which proves disastrous for the Carrolls. With Jim in the army, Bridie says goodbye to her children. Unfortunately, the foster homes weren't vetted: First, the Carroll children went to a home where the husband molested Mary. Next, the Carrolls were sent to a more appropriate home in Cornwall, but the husband was soon called into service. For their last placement, the children were separated, with Mary and Clare sent to a convent, cared for by nuns who ignored preschool-age Clare, while Noel and Ronnie were sent to the home of evil Mrs. Meally, by turns neglectful and abusive. The war over, the Carrolls sought a return to the normalcy that eluded them. Carroll shares the tragic stories of each of his siblings after the war; despite differences in their lives, each sibling battles alcoholism, brought on, Carroll argues, by their wartime experiences. Ronnie Carroll alone manages to achieve sobriety and success, which he credits to his childhood protection by Noel. While books about wartime evacuation tend to feature bucolic settings, this memoir paints an uncompromising picture of opportunistic Britons seeking the ration cards and unpaid labor of children torn from their parents. Though poignant and heartbreaking, Carroll manages to end his memoir on a strong note of optimism--undoubtedly what helped him survive his experiences. Occasionally repetitious and marred by lax editing, Carroll's story is nonetheless nearly impossible to put down. Once finished, it's nearly impossible to forget. A powerful, beautiful memoir about the deep scars of war.

Kirkus Reviews