About the Author

Geraldine O’Neill was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland.

She has lived with her husband, Michael Brosnahan, in CountyOffaly in Ireland since 1991.

She has two adult children, Christopher and Clare.

Music From Home is her tenth book.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names,

characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the

author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons,

living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Ebook Published 2013

by Poolbeg Press Ltd

123 Grange Hill, Baldoyle

Dublin 13, Ireland

E-mail: poolbeg@poolbeg.com

www.poolbeg.com

© Geraldine O’Neill 2013

Copyright for typesetting, layout, design, ebook

© Poolbeg Press Ltd

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781781991114

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

www.poolbeg.com

Also by Geraldine O’Neill

Summer's End

Sarah Love

Leaving Clare

A Different Kind of Dream

Aisling Gayle

Tara Flynn

Tara's Fortune

Tara's Destiny

The Grace Girls

Published by Poolbeg

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Paula Campbell, and all at Poolbeg – especially my editor Gaye Shortland – for their work on this book.

Thanks also to Mandy, Sallyanne and the staff at Watson Little.

I am grateful to two lovely men who helped with my research about the Italian communities in Manchester and Stockport –Michael Lowry and Tony Rea. Michael kindly gave me information about his Italian background and gave me access to books etc. He also introduced me to Tony Rea, author of Manchester’s Little Italy. Tony patiently and diligently guided me around Italian culture and customs during the 1960s in Manchester.

A sad farewell to my great-uncle Kevin O’Reilly from Daingean, who was very handy with the pen himself. Kevin not only read all my books but delivered the post in several of them.

My deep gratitude to my parents, family and friends, and all the people who support my writing in so many ways.

Thanks to Chris and Clare for their love, support and valued advice.

And my loving thanks to Mike. In all the years since we were students, I couldn’t have asked for more care, encouragement and love. I am grateful for all the small and the bigger things you do which make it easier for me to write.

Music From Home

is dedicatedto my dear friend,

Helen Fahy

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort, of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.

– Dinah Craik (1826–1887)

In family life,

love is the oil that eases friction,

the cement that binds closer together,

and the music that brings harmony.

Eva Burrows