Dancing At Home

The Atlantic Ocean divides the three Sheridan sisters: Mary Kate lives in Dublin, Rose and Elizabeth live in America. The reader follows the lives of the sisters and, although they live far apart, sees the bond of their relationship and their allegiance to home. Through letter writing, they keep in touch and find out about each others' lives. Rose is married to Dermot, Elizabeth loves Red, and Mary Kate, after the death of her fiance, returns to Dublin to complete her education. We follow the busy lives of all three and come to understand their hopes, the dreams that drive their choices and subsequent decisions, and how those dreams, once fulfilled, change their lives. Readers will feel the faith, hope, and resilience of each of them as they meet the challenges in their path.

The story opens with Rose and Elizabeth returning to America from a visit to their Irish home to see Mother, Father, their brother Robert, and to comfort Mary Kate, whose fiance had died suddenly. Rose yearns to be with Dermot, her husband, and writes letters to him each day while on the ship. Elizabeth writes to Red, and has fallen in love with him. Mary Kate returns to Dublin and summons the courage to live without her love, Edmund. We follow the sisters as they build their lives with love and hope, family and children. We see them interact with friends who they soon consider to be family. Before their time, they are women who work but it is only in America that they get a pay envelope. While journeying with them, we experience their hardships, challenges, and triumphs. Most of all, experience their love for each other, for family, and for others.

A first-generation daughter of Irish immigrants, Veronica became fascinated with stories of her parents, their siblings and friends, who crossed the Atlantic and settled in America. She came to appreciate the rich cultural history they brought with them, including reverence for their faith, dance, song, reading, writing, and literature.