The 4th, 5th and 6th classes read a novel based around 1846 – 1847 in the eyes of a 12 year old girl named Eily. The book was ‘ Under the Hawthorn Tree ‘ by Marita Conlon McKenna.

Eily and her younger siblings, Peggy and Michael, live in a small, thatched cottage until disaster strikes and blight affects their crop. Mother goes in search of their beloved father. They are forced to travel to the workhouse, but they decide to take a detour in search of their grand-aunts of whom they have only heard of in Mother’s tales.

We thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone fascinated in the Great famine.

We are now reading ‘ Kensuke’s Kingdom ‘ by Michael Morpurgo  and we are looking forward to what exhilarating story Michael Morpurgo has in store for us.

– Aileen McNamara, Ethan Punch and Lia Crilly.