Derry, Northern Ireland

Derry, Northern Ireland
A book I'm working on is set in this town.

Thursday, December 1, 2022

More of the outline/synopsis...

Continuing from yesterday....

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Fleadh

Brendan bathes and sleeps better than ever, waking to find Eamonn also asleep, Aidan sleeping downstairs, and Tur in the hutch while Ma and Mairead fix their evening meal. Mairead gives him a cup of tea and peace is everywhere. The British Army is welcomed and the IRA disparaged with the title I Ran Away, thanks to their amazing lack of support during the battle. 

Word comes a celebration Fleadh will be held at the end of August -- Derry Merry; Derry Free -- in honor of their victory. A gable wall on Lecky Road is painted with You Are Now Entering Free Derry. Bands come from Ireland and England. Dances are everywhere, as is food. Discussions. Media outlets asking about what happened. People wander about, finally enjoying what they've achieved. There is still a lot of back and forth in negotiations regarding reforms, but the feeling is they now have forward movement. 

The second day of the Fleadh, Joanna appears with two of her friends and snatches Brendan's Apollo 7 cap to wear. Brendan is startled...then nervous because Jackie is coming over to find out who these unknown girls are. He makes up an explanation and Joanna plays along, flirting with Jackie and his mates. All is good, for now, so Brendan escorts the girls around the celebration then takes them home to the Waterside.  

Brendan is invited into Joanna's home. Their name is Martin and he claims to be Billy Corrie. Her brother, Charles, is suspicious but he impresses the parents. Even fixes a toaster for them. He leaves for the bus, proud of how he handled himself, but is caught up to by Charles, who finally recognized him from the bus depot. He is nearly brutalized but manages to escape and get home without much damage. Then he dreams about Joanna, again, knowing its foolish to want to know her...but thinking she's worth any trouble it would take. 

Joanna 

Derry's autonomy is accepted as de facto and life goes on. Mairead gives birth to Michael Paul and Ma is joyous around him. Brendan finds the checkpoints are difficult to deal with so lets Danny handle clients on Waterloo and up Strand Road; he already knows how to quietly bribe the soldiers with Marlboros. Brendan gets on part-time with Mr. McClosky's auto repair and both boys work with shopkeepers in the British Pound's change to decimalization. Father Jack was in the US during the Battle but comes back with his usual both-sides attitude. Eamonn, Jackie and Aidan are back at Queens. Colm's back to smuggling and makes sure Brendan and Danny always have Marlboros...for a price.

Charles tells his parents who Brendan is, but that doesn't stop anything. Brendan writes Joanna letters and has truck drivers post them in other towns, so there's no recognizable postmark. Asks her to meet him at a cafe for tea and cakes. She agrees. Brendan finagles his way past the checkpoints into Waterloo, does some customer checking then finally sees Joanna with her mother. She sees him and nods. He makes an order at the Diplomat Cafe and she sneaks in to join him. 

Their conversation is low-key but her off-hand comments make Brendan think better of himself. They meet more times then comes Christmas. He buys her a pendant and she gives him a set of tiny screwdrivers, to help with his repairs on smaller items. He's overcome...because it means she listens to him. She hears him, even when he doesn't speak. He's never had that, before.

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