Just finished reading “The Black Thorn” by John Desmond. John Desmond is also a history teacher at Billerica Memorial High School. Our son, Mike, had him for an AP History course back in the late 90’s.
This is the story of Eamonn McDonagh, a Irish tenant farmer in the 1850’s who struggles against his English landlord in his town. He creates a secret society called the “Black Thorn” that proceeds to fight the oppression by the English.
He son, Joseph, witnesses the death of his father at the hands of the English. Joseph leaves Ireland in a “Coffin Ship” bound to America. Then the story tells of Joseph’s life in a coal mine and then in infantry of the Civil War.
Then Joseph comes back from the war to the coal mine. He then proceeds to form a union to fight the unfair labor practices of the mine owners.
Then there is violence in the murder of one of the mine owners. Joseph and his men get the blame and go to trial.
If I said anymore it would be a spoiler alert.
The story is historical fiction. The characters are not real but are based on real events in the Irish potato famine and the civil war.
Great read. I learned much about the civil war and other events of the time. I could hardly put it down. It took me only about five days to read cover to cover.
calherewecome 