The Girl in the Shadows
Author
Kim O’Shea
Author Bio
Kim O’Shea lives in rural West Cork, Ireland surrounded by the beauty of the Irish countryside. She enjoys being close to nature and finds that the natural setting helps to inspire her writing. Her love of animals is reflected in the number of rescue pets who have become part of her family.
Since an early age she has been interested in the paranormal and after applying to a local team, became a Paranormal Investigator. The investigations have taken her all over Ireland and she is often asked for advice and help. She has published books and a blog on the subject and continues to investigate in her free time.
Her main passion in life is writing. She is currently working on The Girl in the Shadows series – a work of fiction inspired by her own life growing up in rural Ireland. She has drawn from memories of visiting her grandparents and also true stories of her father’s childhood, as told at family gatherings while she was growing up.
Her family is important to her and although she lives alone, she spends as much time as she can with her daughter and granddaughter. Family gatherings are big occasions with all family members invited to laugh, reminisce and above all to have fun.
Description
The Girl in the Shadows is growing up in rural Ireland during a time when family and religion are the two most important things in life. Times are hard and in 1940’s Ireland, modern comforts include things like having a fire in the grate and enough food to keep the hunger pains from gnawing at the belly.
Religion is strict and the Parish Priest is feared more than the law. He has the power to humiliate anyone who fails to follow the doctrine or who goes against the morals of the day. His words must be obeyed as a transgressor runs the risk of being refused the sacraments – a punishment so great that few would even contemplate running the risk. People with disabilities, especially mental problems are considered to be a burden on society and the Parish Priest has the power to insist that the person be condemned to a life in a state institution with no chance of returning home to their family.
Grace’s story begins in a council cottage with three generations living together with all the problems associated with the lack of space and privacy. She is the youngest of eight children and has been born with a minor case of brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen at birth. Wayward and forthright, Grace says it as she sees it much to the embarrassment of her family. When she was born her mother and grandmother went against the local Priest to keep her at home and as her disability is not profound he did not have her forcibly removed.
Grace’s simple view of life often lands her in trouble with hilarious results but as her escapades are innocent her family and friends tend to quickly forgive and forget.
As Grace grows up she begins to find her place in society and learns to deal with prejudice and injustice. When she leaves school she finds work much to the relief of her father who thought she would be a burden on the family forever.
Grace settles into life with a new family, caring for their young children until an unfortunate event turns her world upside down.
Book excerpt
When I was five, my mother announced one morning that I was going to school.
I had always longed to go to school and I skipped the whole two miles to the school house ahead of my brothers and sisters. Mary tried to restrain me, “You won’t be skipping coming home, not after the master has quietened you!”
I didn’t know what a master was but I didn’t care. At last, I was grown up!
The school was a huge building with lots of corridors and rooms. I knew that I would get lost so I stayed close to Mary. Wide eyed with excitement, I clutched my apple to my chest and drank in the atmosphere and the smell. It was a mixture of scents and the closest I can describe it is the smell of sweat, wet dog and dampness. I doubt that a wet dog ever entered the building but that was what it reminded me of that first day. This changed in the Winter-time as the coal fumes were added to the mix.
I sat down beside Mary and when the master came in we all stood up and rattled off a string of prayers. The master saw me, “Who have we here?”
“Grace,” I supplied helpfully.
“Grace what?”
“Grace, Mary’s sister,” I replied.
Mary nudged me hard in the ribs and whispered urgently, “Grace, Sir.”
“Grace, Sir.” I echoed.
The master looked at me, “You need teaching a few manners I see. Go and sit over by the window with the other infants.”
I glanced at Mary. She nodded so I got up and went and sat by the window.
“Hello, I’m Grace.” I turned to the little boy beside me.
“Silence!” roared the master.”You will only speak when I address you.”
I looked at the master in surprise, “I’m not a letter and I don’t know my address but I live beside Sean McCarthy.”
The master gasped and started towards me but was interrupted by a knock on the door. By the time he came back he seemed to have forgotten all about me.
At break time, Mary pulled me aside and told me to keep my mouth shut. I stared at her thoughtfully, “But how can I eat my apple and keep my mouth shut at the same time?”
“God Grace, you can be so annoying at times!” Mary was not impressed. I had no idea what I had done wrong but a little thing like that would never hold me back.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully and I even began to get a bit bored but suddenly the master said it was time to go home.
Sean and my other brothers, Pat, Mick and Kieran teased me all the way home.
They said I was the master’s pet now and that he
would be watching out for me. I was delighted and decided there and then that I would make a point of getting to know him properly.
My sisters were appalled.
Bridget said I was a disgrace and should learn to speak only when I was spoken to first. I thought this was a silly piece of advice. How could I make friends and find out about people without asking them lots of questions?
