Distillation...

It's interesting how condensing each chapter into a paragraph or two is helping me see the story more sharply. I'm going slow to make sure I get the important beats...but here are the first three chapters -- oh, and the Rossville Flats, which figure greatly in the story, are the two tallish buildings in the center right of the photo; the third one is not easily visible. But that's the part of the city that is the Bogside...

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In the Beginning

It's February 1966, and Brendan has just turned ten years of age. He speaks about Eamonn Kinsella, his father, and the man's brutal murder. He's not sorry the man is dead because he was a drunken brute who beat his wife and sons, but he also finds others thought well of him and that he sang and wove stories in pubs in exchange for drinks. He also comments a bit on the history of Derry (Londonderry), Northern Ireland, and how Catholics are oppressed by Protestants in the town...which is why his father is made into a martyr; he was Catholic and the men who tortured him to death were Protestant. 

Child of the Groundhog 

Brendan introduces himself and his family. Eamonn, older brother named after their father; Mairead, older sister; Rhuari, younger brother; Maeve, younger sister; and another about to be born, named Kieran. His mother's name is Bernadette and she treats Brendan poorly, calling him simple even though he is very good at fixing things. They live in a terrace home off Nailors Row that is almost falling down, but this is not uncommon in the Bogside area of Derry. 

Bernadette is not happy her sister, Mari, married an American named Sean McNanamarra and lives in Houston, Texas, and she hates her brothers for abandoning her and her sister to an orphanage. But Mari sends money in monthly letters, which Mairead finds out about. learns a lot of it is given to Father Demian, their parish priest for murky reasons, and takes over. Mairead also convinces their parents it's okay for Eamonn to go to university, since Bernadette wanted him to get a job, instead, and talks Eamonn the elder into working more so his son can focus on his studies. There is more background about their parents, questions about their past, more details regarding Derry's history of being controlled by Protestants despite being a Catholic town. 

The Chinas 

Despite going to mass every Sunday and having lots of kids in his neighborhood, Brendan has few friends because he prefers to fix toys, radios and toasters and such rather than play with the other boys. Also, Bernadette is fanatical about keeping clean. His only real mates are Colm O'Faelan, whose father drives a taxi; Danny Gallagher, whose father is porter for their local parish church and whose mother is also a clean freak; Pardrig, who's a hanger-on of Colm's and whose family are not known to be hard workers; and wee Eammon, the only child of an abandoned woman. They became friends over a football match and they are the one who drag Brendan into a somewhat normal life. He also becomes friends with two Protestant boys -- Billy and Gerry. They call each other China thanks to Brendan Behan's book, Borstal Boy. 

More is revealed about Brendan keeping some of the money he makes from his mother, and how harsh she is with him. Mairead is handling the household finances so Brendan gives her some. He's also a quick thinker, as shown by how he gets Billy and himself away from some boys who want to beat them, and how he is able to work the RUC (police) when he and Colm are arrested for a confrontation with some Protestant boys...but that starts a rift between Brendan and Billy and Gerry. Bernadette is politically active with the Nationalists and brooks no dissent about Mother Ireland and the fight for equality against the Protestants.