Author’s Note

In 1917, a child with dyslexia was considered “slow” or “simple.” Today we know that dyslexia is a learning disability. People with dyslexia are as intelligent as other people. It is not a disease, but a difference in the brain; dyslexics have minds that learn differently. A person with dyslexia has problems making sense of what is seen or heard. While children today can receive help from teachers and parents, special schools and tutors, some of the stigma of having dyslexia remains. Dyslexics struggle with poor self-image, social difficulties, fear of failure, frustration and anger—the same problems my character Rose faces in Irish Chain.

On December 6, 1917, Halifax experienced Canada’s greatest human tragedy. Two ships, one loaded with explosives, collided in the Narrows, resulting in the largest man-made explosion outside of Hiroshima. Estimates put the dead between two and three thousand. The working-class north end of Halifax, Richmond, was completely devastated. But, as all people who survive tragedy and loss throughout the ages have done, the people of Halifax, with the generous support of Canadians and Americans, rebuilt their lives, demonstrating once again the enduring spirit of humankind.

All the characters in Irish Chain are products of my imagination, with the exception of two. Sister Maria Cecilia was the principal of St. Joseph’s School and Father McManus was one of the priests at St. Joseph’s Church at the time of the explosion. I have used their names, but otherwise, their characters in the book are fictionalized.

The lyrics and music to “My Wild Irish Rose” were written by Chauncey Olcott for his production of A Romance of Athlone. The music was published in 1899.

Visit my Web site for a teacher/student resource page on the Halifax Explosion.

http://www.barbhaworthattard.com/

Wreckage at Richmond. From the collection of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

YMCA Emergency hospital. From the Kitz collection, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Ruins of St. Joseph’s School and St. Joseph’s Church. From the collection of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada