Two in particular, however, deserve special mention. Donncha O Dúlaing made me aware of the drama of radio broadcasting in the early days of the state, and described for me in detail those small things which history books never tell. Douglas Gageby, writing about his father-in-law, Seán Lester, introduced me to an almost forgotten but heroic Irishman who played an important role on the international stage at a crucial time.
History is slippery. Different people remember events in different ways. The best anyone can do in trying to reconstruct a past time is to piece together a fabric composed of many memories. Each of the novels in this series contains true fragments from hundreds of lives, vividly and generously recalled for the author and then interwoven into the fabric of the story.
Thank you all, so very, very much.
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.
1949: A NOVEL OF THE IRISH FREE STATE
Copyright © 2003 by Morgan Llywelyn
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.
A Forge Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
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New York, NY 10010
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Forge® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Llywelyn, Morgan.
1949: a novel of the Irish Free State / Morgan Llywelyn.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN: 978-0-312-86753-9
1. Ireland—History—1922—Fiction. 2. Women Revolutionaries—Fiction. 3. Single Mothers—Fiction. 4. Women farmers—Fiction. I. Title: Nineteen forty-nine. II. Title.
PS3562.L94 N49 2003
813′.54—dc21
2002032525
*Irish for “Freedom.” Pronounced Sayr-sha.
*League of Women; Republican organization that played an active role in the 1916 Rising.
*Chat; small talk
* Traditional music session.
* Irish Parliament.
*“Ourselves Alone.
*Soldiers of Destiny.
* Do you speak Irish?
†The “Black and Tans”; military irregulars sent by the British to suppress revolution in Ireland through terror and intimidation.
*“This is Radio Dublin and Radio Cork.”
*“Be silent.”
†The Warrior Band of Ireland, a national scouting organization.
*Sweet is the sound of the silent mouth.
*Civic Guard.
*lavish, generous.
*See Dramatis Personae.
*“My darling.”
*“Right enough.”
*Irish language-speaking area.
*Teachtai Dála, or parliamentary delegate.
*The Leader.
*Stormtroopers; also known as the SA.
†Protection Squad; the SS.
*Fair Maiden.”
*“Sweetheart.”
*“The Family of the Irish.”
*Eagle
*“The Chief.”
*Englishman.
*The House of the President.
*“Little darling.”
*Originally composed of Germans from outside the Reich.
*“Thanks be to God.”
*“That’s it.”
*“It’s like that; thus.”
*“Thank you, Gerry.”
* Deputy prime minister.
*“My own true love.”