The Donegal Woman
The Donegal Woman by John Throne, published by Drumkeen Press in 2006, is a historical fiction work that explores the harsh realities of rural Ireland less than a century ago. This first edition, comprising 431 pages, delves into the grim practice of the hiring fair system, where impoverished parents sold their children to farmers, often subjecting them to severe exploitation. The narrative is rooted in the true story of the author’s grandmother, Margaret, who faced unimaginable hardships yet demonstrated remarkable resilience.
Readers will find a poignant portrayal of Margaret’s life, beginning with her early years as a child laborer and extending through her struggles with trauma and societal expectations. The book highlights her determination to protect her children amidst a world that often silenced women like her. Through this narrative, Throne revives the tradition of Ulster’s radical writers, capturing the authentic voice of a woman of extraordinary spirit. The Donegal Woman presents a compelling examination of historical injustices while emphasizing themes of survival and maternal love.
Official synopsis Publisher
Less than 100 years ago a form of slavery still persisted in parts of rural Ireland – the hiring fair system. Children as young as seven or eight were sold for fixed periods by their impoverished parents to farmers who worked them to the bone,treating them often as little more than cattle. Often worse. THE DONEGAL WOMAN is based on a true story of the author’s own grandmother. Born to the poorest of Protestant farmers in the hills of Donegal, Margaret was hired out as a child, raped by her master, and then, pregnant, forced to marry another man many times her age. But Margaret survived in a silent world of her own, driven by her passionate determination to do right by her children. Reviving the tradition of three of Ulster’s great radical writers, Peadar o’ Donnell, Patrick MacGill and Sam Hannah Bell, this author, in his first novel, has captured the authentic voice of a woman of extraordinary spirit.
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