Dublin, 1830. When his da gets injured, Hugh ‘Scholar’ O’Dare has to leave school to work as a chimney sweeper. The job is scary and dangerous, but it brings him into the home of the most famous man in Ireland, Daniel O’Connell, who takes an interest in the young boy’s life. Then Scholar comes across another young sweeper whose circumstances are much worse than his own, and a shocking secret comes to light. Can he help this new friend escape a life of darkness?
Ann Murtagh spent her first seven years in the Bronx, New York. After a short time in Dublin, her family moved to Kells, Co. Meath. She qualified as a primary teacher and later received an MA in Local History from NUI Maynooth. Local history plays an important role in her life, and she is an active member of Kilkenny Archaeological Society. For Ann, historical fiction combines the best of both worlds – history and storytelling! She lives with her husband, Richard, and two rescue dogs in Kilkenny City.
