Irish by John Burrowes

[crayspond]

Hi Falkyrn,

I had the same experience with 'The Real Gorbals Story' True Tales from Glasgow's meanest streets - by Colin MacFarlane.
I was so looking forward to this book as my father grew up in the Gorbals and lots of relations on both sides lived there at some time or another. I was disappointed as it seemed full of wee stories and anecdotes in themselves nice enough but i was looking for more factual info. On saying that i am sure a lot of people were very pleased with the content - as they say different strokes for different folks!
I don't know if you have read Famine by Liam O'Flaherty - it is a story of three generations of the Kilmartin family set in the period of the Great Famine of the 1840s. It is a fictional story but very factual in describing the hardships the people suffered before and during the famine. Very hard to believe this happened on our own doorstep.
I would like to read a book written like this about a family who left and began a new life in Glasgow (or other places in the UK) so i could maybe understand my own irish background a bit better. Not a Catherine Cookson version but one like this book 'Famine'. There may be a book out there i don't know about - if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

Regards
Ailsa