A-Z Blogging Challenge - U is for Uncle

Not the easiest letter, mainly because I can’t find any names or places beginning with U in my novels. However, with a bit of lateral thinking, I finally found a sub-plot concerning an uncle and nephew!

In Irish Shadows, all Rose Finlay knows is that her great-grandfather fell out with his cousins because of something that happened during the Irish Civil War in the 1920s.

Seemingly unconnected (to begin with) is a family story told by Tom Keating (see yesterday’s post) about how his grandfather Michael Keating and another man planned to blow up a railway bridge not far from Clifden in 1922. However, a few hours before the intended act of sabotage, Michael was arrested, and later claimed he had been betrayed by someone called Joe.

Rose discovers her great-grandfather was Joseph O’Malley, and is shocked to discover from a report dating from November 1922 that “Captain Edward Andrews said he had received information from Private Joseph O’Malley, which implicated Michael Keating in a plot to blow up the railway bridge at Athry Lough on the night of the 20th.”

More research shows her that Joseph O’Malley was, in fact, the son of Michael Keating’s sister. In other words, Joseph had betrayed his own uncle, who as a result was jailed in Galway for six months.

In the words of one of the Keating family: “The rest of the family never forgave Joe O’Malley for squealing to the authorities about his Uncle Michael.” Another member of the family also says: “If anyone showed up now saying they were related to Joseph O’Malley, I doubt they’d get a very friendly reception from us.”

But did Joe O’Malley betray his uncle – or did he save his life?

You’ll have to read Irish Shadows to find out! 

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A-Z Blogging Challenge - T is for Tom

Tom Keating is another ‘recurring’ character in my Mist Na Mara novels, and features in nearly all of them.

In Irish Inheritance, Jenna and Guy have inherited a house near Clifden in Connemara from a woman named Helena Keating, who had been born in County Galway in 1920. They discover that Mist Na Mara house was left to Helena by her father William Keating. This leads them to visit Tom Keating, an elderly man living in Clifden, who gives them more clues about William and the Keating family.

Tom also gets a mention in Irish Intrigue when he takes his dog to the veterinary clinic, but he has a bigger role in Irish Deceptions. When Finny (see my F post) stops attending school, and it becomes apparent he and his mother have left the house where they were living, Ellie discovers he is still walking Tom’s dog every morning. She arranges to visit Tom early one morning, but Finny runs off when he sees her there, so she is no wiser about where he and his mother have moved to.

In Irish Shadows, Tom has another significant role to play when he puts an end to a family feud which began during the Irish Civil War in the 1920s. Last but not least, in Irish Echoes, it turns out that Tom’s ancestor, Padraig Keating, originally came from Kilcreggan, one of the villages which was abandoned during the Potato Famine in the 1840s and whose location has remained unknown until Elliot finally manages to trace it.

Little did I realise when Tom Keating first appeared in Irish Inheritance that he would insist on appearing in my other novels!

All my books are available from 

Amazon  or from Tirgearr Publishing 

A-Z Blogging Challenge - P is for Peter Stones

I wonder how many of readers recognise that name? Peter Stones is a ‘recurring’ minor, but often significant, character in five of my novels. In a sense, he is similar to the local policeman or postman in soap operas, who appear from time to time. In my stories, he is a director of stage and TV dramas.

Peter’s first appearance was actually in ‘Fragrance of Violets’ (published in 2011 but currently no longer available), when he was directing a West End production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and asked the heroine of the story to step in when one of the other actors had an accident.

In Irish Inheritance, Jenna is an out-of-work actor who auditions for a part in a TV adaptation of ‘Jane Eyre’. The auditioning panel consisted of the casting director, his assistant, and the director. Without even thinking about, I decided the director was Peter Stones, and then had to check back to remind myself of his appearance - a man with receding dark hair and black-rimmed glasses. After asking Jenna some difficult questions, he shows an interest in Jenna’s ancestor, a Victorian actress who disappeared without trace in the 1890s. At the end of the novel, Jenna informs her friend Charley that Peter Stones wants to make a 2-hour biopic about the actress, which would be filmed at Mist Na Mara.

Three years later, in Irish Intrigue, Charley returns reluctantly to Ireland to complete the filming of a 1930s drama at Waterside Hall. The director, of course, is Peter Stones.

In my fourth ‘Mist Na Mara novel, Irish Deceptions, the hero is Dan Nicholas, an actor who shot to stardom (and whose dark eyes enthralled millions of women) in ‘The Whelans at War’, a TV drama set during the Irish Civil War. The director was – yes, you’ve guessed it – Peter Stones. He also makes a brief appearance at the end of the story with some amazing news for Finny (see my ‘F’ blog!)

Peter even manages to sneak in (briefly) in Irish Shadows.

Now I’m wondering if, when, and how he will find his way into any of my future novels!

All my books are available from 

Amazon  or from Tirgearr Publishing 

A-Z Blogging Challenge - F is for Finny

Adam Finlay, known as Finny, is an example of how a ‘minor’ character can unexpectedly develop into a major role-player in a story – and is one reason why I am a ‘pantser’ and not a plotter! 

Finny first appeared in Irish Deceptions when Ellie (see yesterday’s E post) went into the local school to drum up some support for her new dance and drama school.

Here’s the introduction to Finny:

“That was fantastic.” Brona grinned as she led the way along the corridor at the school on Tuesday morning. “Showing a DVD of a street dance team was an inspiration.”

Ellie laughed. “All credit to you for suggesting we offer street dancing.”

“No, the credit’s yours for showing how dance can be dynamic and exciting. Even Adam Finlay was impressed.”

“Which one was he?”

“The boy with the spiky blond hair. They call him Finny and he’s a real handful. I kept my eye on him, ready to yank him out of the room if he misbehaved, but you hooked him when you showed that routine. His eyes were as round as saucers.”

“And he took an application form at the end. Do you think he’ll join the class?”

“I’m not sure, but a lot of the others showed interest.”

At that point, I had absolutely no idea of the part Finny was going to play in the rest of the story, but he did join the street dance class, and then surprised everyone (including me!) by displaying other talents, which led to … No, no spoilers!

Finny is a lively, cheeky, streetwise thirteen-year-old who stole my heart. So much so that he reappears in a larger role in my next novel, Irish Shadows, when he is given the opportunity to meet his father (who abandoned his mother before Finny was born). This causes a rift between Finny and his mother, but in the end the 13-year-old learns the truth and displays a maturity beyond his years in dealing with the situation.

Maybe one day, once he becomes an adult, Finny will be the hero of one of my novels! Hmm, that's given me an idea ... :-) 

(All my books are available from Amazon  or from Tirgearr Publishing )