Kitty watched the flicker in the dark from the new Sacred Heart light at the end of the stairs; her lips moving in quiet prayer and the odd crackle from her fire the only sounds. With his steps at last sounded outside she grasped her beads more firmly and sat up to face him.
The former principality of Breifne consists of modern Leitrim, a large part of West Cavan and a small slice of Longford. Before these counties were created, around 1580, the O’Rourke chieftains ruled Breifne. It was a long history of clan rivalry, internecine murder and intrigue. Detailed family trees listing numerous O’Rourkes have been constructed and posted up on the Internet.
Dublin-born Paddy Crosby attended St Paul’s Christian Brothers School in North Brunswick Street. Locals always called this school “Brunner”. Years later, when he had finished his studies in St Patrick’s Training College and UCD Paddy taught in St Paul’s until his retirement. Paddy was a keen hurler and handball player.
