The Cart Full of Holly

Welcome to the quaint village of Castleduff, Co. Wicklow, nestled between the mountains and the sea on the east coast of Ireland. A place where great poverty and impressive wealth exist side by side, separated only by the main road and society's prejudices. Follow the story of a family of "Traveling People" as they try to balance their traditional lifestyle in the face of unforeseen circumstances.

Welcome to the quaint village of Castleduff, Co. Wicklow, nestled between the mountains and the sea on the east coast of Ireland. A place where great poverty and impressive wealth exist side by side, separated only by the main road and society's prejudices. Follow the story of a family of "Traveling People" as they try to balance their traditional lifestyle in the face of unforeseen circumstances. This touching tale - full to the brim of endearing Irish characters, from Tomsee Mulligan to Gemma O'Reilly - will delight and charm the reader with universal themes of love and pain; struggle and joy. The O'Reillys deal with their daughter Gemma's struggle to be accepted, and their own family tragedies, as they try to hold on to tradition, while also attempting to improve their lot in life. An assorted group of characters from their local community, either help or hinder their struggle to be accepted in the village.

Marie O'Byrne was born and raised in Co. Wicklow, Ireland and moved to the United States in 1984. She currently lives in California with her husband Liam. She has four grown children, and The Cart Full of Holly is her first published book. You can see all of Marie's published work on her website.