I was touched emotionally by this story, characterized by pathos and love. How strange—to me—that these peoples’ lives were totally orchestrated and governed by the Catholic Church. The recent Irish immigrants and their families were guided and controlled by an all powerful church which determined their options in life. Women,especially, were victims of the limited choices—get married and risk one’s life giving birth to numerous children, become a nun, or decide to be “touched” in the head, thereby relinquishing all responsibilities (and your husband’s advances).
The writing is exquisite and the story is compelling. I couldn’t help but think of what we now know went on behind closed doors, in churches and convents.