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The Ballad of Mary Kearney
"I am dead, my Mary; the man who loved you body and soul lies in some dishonorable grave."
In County Down, Ireland, in 1767, a nobleman secretly marries his servant, in defiance of law, class, and religion. Can their love survive tumultuous times?
An impoverished tenant farmer sends his seventeen-year-old daughter Mary into service at the home of his Ascendancy landlord. Viscount Kilkeel, the impulsive but idealistic son of Lord Goward, lately returned from the Grand Tour, cohabits openly there with his married mistress – but at least her presence means he is not distracted by pretty servants. When Lady Mitchelstown dies, however, only Mary is willing to lay out the corpse. Impressed, Kilkeel decides to educate her and eventually falls in love. Under the Penal Laws, a Protestant and a Catholic marriage is treasonous, so to the world, Mary is his kept woman, not accepted by Kilkeel's class and shunned by her own.
Encouraged by American independence and the overthrow of the French monarchy, the calls for liberty in Ireland grow ever stronger. Through Mary's influence, James Kilkeel joins the United Irishmen and prepares for rebellion. In the space of a few weeks, around thirty thousand Irish die in the struggle, but the rising is put down without mercy.
Set in County Down, Dublin, and London, Mary Kearney's tragic story is told through letters, diaries, testimonies, and trial proceedings, giving an authentic voice to a tragic period in Ireland's tumultuous history.
The Ballad of Mary Kearney is a compelling must-read for anyone interested in Irish history, told through the means of an enduring but ultimately tragic love.
In County Down, Ireland, in 1767, a nobleman secretly marries his servant, in defiance of law, class, and religion. Can their love survive tumultuous times?
An impoverished tenant farmer sends his seventeen-year-old daughter Mary into service at the home of his Ascendancy landlord. Viscount Kilkeel, the impulsive but idealistic son of Lord Goward, lately returned from the Grand Tour, cohabits openly there with his married mistress – but at least her presence means he is not distracted by pretty servants. When Lady Mitchelstown dies, however, only Mary is willing to lay out the corpse. Impressed, Kilkeel decides to educate her and eventually falls in love. Under the Penal Laws, a Protestant and a Catholic marriage is treasonous, so to the world, Mary is his kept woman, not accepted by Kilkeel's class and shunned by her own.
Encouraged by American independence and the overthrow of the French monarchy, the calls for liberty in Ireland grow ever stronger. Through Mary's influence, James Kilkeel joins the United Irishmen and prepares for rebellion. In the space of a few weeks, around thirty thousand Irish die in the struggle, but the rising is put down without mercy.
Set in County Down, Dublin, and London, Mary Kearney's tragic story is told through letters, diaries, testimonies, and trial proceedings, giving an authentic voice to a tragic period in Ireland's tumultuous history.
The Ballad of Mary Kearney is a compelling must-read for anyone interested in Irish history, told through the means of an enduring but ultimately tragic love.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 8, 2025
Taking us through 35 years in less than 300 pages, this spare and naturalistic story of 18th century Ireland tells of Mary's early life living in a tiny 'cabin' with her family, sleeping in the same bed as her siblings above a cowshed, until she is asked to work as a maid in 'the great house', when her life changes drastically - outwardly for the better, but in her heart of hearts, Mary is not sure. The narrative style is totally 'hands off' - there is nothing resembling an authorial intervention, nor even as much as an authorial raised eyebrow. Chapter names provide settings, and then we might have an entire scene in dialogue only, from two of the many characters who observe the highs and lows of Mary's life, or a whole chapter in epistolary form. Where there are descriptive chapters, we are very close to the characters, very much seeing through their eyes. The author is immensely strong on the social history, particularly the immense privations, material and spiritual, to which the Catholic population of Ireland were subjected - worse ever than in England. However towards the end of the book political and indeed military history takes over, with the attempted uprising against the English overlords, supported by an French invasion. Whilst of course Mary would not have known all the details, a little more background about this would have benefited those of us rather hazy about these events. The Histria edition is very well produced, with a lovely cover design, but the quotation on the front cover 'Readers who like their romance heavy on the history will be enchanted' does not seem to serve the author well, nor does a blurb that telescopes almost the whole plot into three sentences. The long epistolary passages are all printed in italics, which was not particularly easy to read for whole pages. But the book itself is, by any standards, a very strong work of historical fiction. Comical, romantic, very poignant, this is an immensely warm and human book. There is no black and white history here, there are very positive English characters, very negative Irish ones. The unusual style means that Mary and her husband and the other characters really jump off the page. As the book ended, I was really sorry to leave the world it had created. A memorable and vivid experience.
March 8, 2025
Katherine Mezzacappa’s new historical novel, The Ballad of Mary Kearney, deals with the period around the end of the 18th century when a number of momentous events took place. Chief among them would have to be the French Revolution in 1789, but in Ireland there was a sequel to that in the United Irishman rebellion of 1798.
Crowned heads throughout Europe had become desperate at the thought that they might suffer the fate of the Bourbon king of France and his queen, Marie Antionette, especially after Napoleon Bonaparte had advanced, by virtue of his military genius, the work of spreading the ideals of the Revolution throughout continental Europe. They made use of the cruellest, most gruesome methods to attempt to control their subjects, and the House of Hanover, which ruled Great Britain and Ireland at the time, was no exception to this. These judicial outrages had to be carried out in public pour decourager les autres, so the larger the audiences that could be gathered for them, the better.
The book is a masterclass in historical research. It is eminently readable, and erudition shines forth from every page. The author has reached, through the curtains of the great historical events of which she is so knowledgeable, into the lives of the people who lived at the time. Thus we are treated to descriptions of kindnesses and moral stature from such as members of the Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, to sit alongside the dreadful descriptions of a flogging to the point of death, rape used as a weapon, a grisly hanging that went wrong, and then the prevalence of such bodily miseries as tetanus, known at the time as lockjaw, and the pox, both great and small, all of which thankfully have since been eliminated due to modern scientific developments.
Readers are exposed to parts of the stories of some of history’s forgotten heroes, such as that great Deist, Thomas Paine, who was active in both the American and French revolutions. While Paine was born into the Quaker tradition (his father was a Quaker and his mother was Anglican), and while he was able to appreciate the principles they upheld, he also suggested that their lives might have been somewhat on the austere side. This is also hinted at by Mezzacappa. Paine wrote:
"I cannot help smiling at the conceit, that if the taste of a Quaker could have been consulted at creation, what a silent and drab coloured creation it would have been! Not a flower would have blossomed its gaieties, nor a bird been permitted to sing." – Thomas Paine in “The Age of Reason”
According to his biographer, John Keane, Paine himself witnessed a man being broken on the wheel, another barbaric refinement that was used mainly to enforce military discipline, and which is also mentioned in the book.
The centerpiece of the narrative is the marriage of a Catholic serving girl, Mary Kearney, to her employer, the Viscount Kilkeel. This would have been no mean feat, given the rigid class divisions and religious turmoil of the time, but the author in this case has made it seem nothing less than credible.
The Ballad of Mary Kearney is, altogether, an amazing work of literature. I recommend it highly.
Crowned heads throughout Europe had become desperate at the thought that they might suffer the fate of the Bourbon king of France and his queen, Marie Antionette, especially after Napoleon Bonaparte had advanced, by virtue of his military genius, the work of spreading the ideals of the Revolution throughout continental Europe. They made use of the cruellest, most gruesome methods to attempt to control their subjects, and the House of Hanover, which ruled Great Britain and Ireland at the time, was no exception to this. These judicial outrages had to be carried out in public pour decourager les autres, so the larger the audiences that could be gathered for them, the better.
The book is a masterclass in historical research. It is eminently readable, and erudition shines forth from every page. The author has reached, through the curtains of the great historical events of which she is so knowledgeable, into the lives of the people who lived at the time. Thus we are treated to descriptions of kindnesses and moral stature from such as members of the Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, to sit alongside the dreadful descriptions of a flogging to the point of death, rape used as a weapon, a grisly hanging that went wrong, and then the prevalence of such bodily miseries as tetanus, known at the time as lockjaw, and the pox, both great and small, all of which thankfully have since been eliminated due to modern scientific developments.
Readers are exposed to parts of the stories of some of history’s forgotten heroes, such as that great Deist, Thomas Paine, who was active in both the American and French revolutions. While Paine was born into the Quaker tradition (his father was a Quaker and his mother was Anglican), and while he was able to appreciate the principles they upheld, he also suggested that their lives might have been somewhat on the austere side. This is also hinted at by Mezzacappa. Paine wrote:
"I cannot help smiling at the conceit, that if the taste of a Quaker could have been consulted at creation, what a silent and drab coloured creation it would have been! Not a flower would have blossomed its gaieties, nor a bird been permitted to sing." – Thomas Paine in “The Age of Reason”
According to his biographer, John Keane, Paine himself witnessed a man being broken on the wheel, another barbaric refinement that was used mainly to enforce military discipline, and which is also mentioned in the book.
The centerpiece of the narrative is the marriage of a Catholic serving girl, Mary Kearney, to her employer, the Viscount Kilkeel. This would have been no mean feat, given the rigid class divisions and religious turmoil of the time, but the author in this case has made it seem nothing less than credible.
The Ballad of Mary Kearney is, altogether, an amazing work of literature. I recommend it highly.
April 25, 2025
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The Ballad of Mary Kearney tells the tragic love story of a Catholic servant girl, Mary, and her secret marriage to a Protestant nobleman, James Kilkeel, in 18th-century Ireland. Their defiance of class and religious barriers unfolds against a backdrop of political unrest and the Irish rebellion. Told through letters and testimonies, the ballad captures their enduring love amidst a tumultuous period, ultimately leading to a heartbreaking end.
The Ballad of Mary Kearney is a lyrical and powerful story of identity, religion and class set in a turbulent period of Irish history.
One of the most original aspects of this novel was the way in which the story is told. As defined in the Cambridge Dictionary, a ballad is “a song or poem that tells a story, or (in popular music) a slow love song.” And Mezcappa very much plays into this ballad element, not only through the plot of the story itself but also in the medium of how it is told. Through letters, diaries, scandal columns and third-person narrative, she weaves a compelling, rounded story told through various voices.
Mary's struggle for her sense of identity is a key theme throughout the book. Initially the daughter of a tenant and working as a ladies’ maid, she’s swept into the world of gentility, or “The Quality” upon her marriage. It’s a whole new world for her, one in which she learns to read, to speak better, and to learn etiquette. Throughout the novel, she slips back into the speech of her roots, and it’s pointed out how she is unable to use a ‘knife and fork.’ The fact she has not become James’ mistress but instead his wife is scandalous to society and a constant source of discussion amongst the gentility.
The Ireland in which James and Mary marry is already one of huge religious unrest, and Mezcappa captures this sense of conflict and divide through their relationship and beyond. A Catholic and a Protestant can’t marry, and so their marriage is one that is already challenged by outside factors. But together they build their own story, overcoming discrimination and forging a life together.
The novel builds in crescendo towards the end, with the impact of the French Revolution in Ireland and the rise of the United Irishmen. The implications for Mary and her family are heartbreaking as they get swept up into the maelstrom.
In 1791, the group, The United Irishmen was founded. They aimed to unite Irish people across religious divides. Meeting with government resistance and taking inspiration from The French Revolution with its ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity, they rose in rebellion in 1798. Although it failed, they inspired future Irish nationalism.
This novel is a beautifully written, creative and eye-opening account of Ireland in the 18th century. Mezzacappa skillfully tackles heavy themes, weaving them into a beautiful ballad of love and loss.
Search Substack
The Ballad of Mary Kearney tells the tragic love story of a Catholic servant girl, Mary, and her secret marriage to a Protestant nobleman, James Kilkeel, in 18th-century Ireland. Their defiance of class and religious barriers unfolds against a backdrop of political unrest and the Irish rebellion. Told through letters and testimonies, the ballad captures their enduring love amidst a tumultuous period, ultimately leading to a heartbreaking end.
The Ballad of Mary Kearney is a lyrical and powerful story of identity, religion and class set in a turbulent period of Irish history.
One of the most original aspects of this novel was the way in which the story is told. As defined in the Cambridge Dictionary, a ballad is “a song or poem that tells a story, or (in popular music) a slow love song.” And Mezcappa very much plays into this ballad element, not only through the plot of the story itself but also in the medium of how it is told. Through letters, diaries, scandal columns and third-person narrative, she weaves a compelling, rounded story told through various voices.
Mary's struggle for her sense of identity is a key theme throughout the book. Initially the daughter of a tenant and working as a ladies’ maid, she’s swept into the world of gentility, or “The Quality” upon her marriage. It’s a whole new world for her, one in which she learns to read, to speak better, and to learn etiquette. Throughout the novel, she slips back into the speech of her roots, and it’s pointed out how she is unable to use a ‘knife and fork.’ The fact she has not become James’ mistress but instead his wife is scandalous to society and a constant source of discussion amongst the gentility.
The Ireland in which James and Mary marry is already one of huge religious unrest, and Mezcappa captures this sense of conflict and divide through their relationship and beyond. A Catholic and a Protestant can’t marry, and so their marriage is one that is already challenged by outside factors. But together they build their own story, overcoming discrimination and forging a life together.
The novel builds in crescendo towards the end, with the impact of the French Revolution in Ireland and the rise of the United Irishmen. The implications for Mary and her family are heartbreaking as they get swept up into the maelstrom.
In 1791, the group, The United Irishmen was founded. They aimed to unite Irish people across religious divides. Meeting with government resistance and taking inspiration from The French Revolution with its ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity, they rose in rebellion in 1798. Although it failed, they inspired future Irish nationalism.
This novel is a beautifully written, creative and eye-opening account of Ireland in the 18th century. Mezzacappa skillfully tackles heavy themes, weaving them into a beautiful ballad of love and loss.
February 5, 2025
Ireland, 1765. When young Mary Kearney is sent to work at Goward Hall, she joins her brother and sister in service and lightens the load of her impoverished father, who has too many mouths to feed. She begins to wait on the very married Lady Mitchelstown, who is involved in a scandalous romance with Lord and Lady Goward’s son James. James eventually arranges for Mary to learn to read and write, and as they become much closer, the outrage of both the upper and lower classes descends upon them. They enter into a secret marriage, but in the eyes of the world, Mary is a mistress, and only a few at the time know that she is James’ wife. And nearby, an evil man waits, determined to ruin Mary for good.
Late 18th to early 19th-century Ireland comes alive in this book, as the characters speak to us from the past in a dialect true to the time. There is a great deal of epistolary work, and it is woven in beautifully. Letters, articles, documents, and diary entries highlight the many voices, bringing each character to life with great effect. The novel begins with the dictated words of Mary’s father, who cannot read or write. The letters contain everything from love to gossip to threats, depending upon the writer. The class differences of the time are highlighted well, and the Catholic versus Protestant conflict is explored. The attempted uprising by the United Irishmen is well researched, and its consequences spill across the page. The captivating love story of James and Mary endures many hardships, including plotting and scheming from wicked people. Honest and intriguing, this gripping saga will transport and inspire you, and it just might break your heart. Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via The Historical Novel Society. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Late 18th to early 19th-century Ireland comes alive in this book, as the characters speak to us from the past in a dialect true to the time. There is a great deal of epistolary work, and it is woven in beautifully. Letters, articles, documents, and diary entries highlight the many voices, bringing each character to life with great effect. The novel begins with the dictated words of Mary’s father, who cannot read or write. The letters contain everything from love to gossip to threats, depending upon the writer. The class differences of the time are highlighted well, and the Catholic versus Protestant conflict is explored. The attempted uprising by the United Irishmen is well researched, and its consequences spill across the page. The captivating love story of James and Mary endures many hardships, including plotting and scheming from wicked people. Honest and intriguing, this gripping saga will transport and inspire you, and it just might break your heart. Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via The Historical Novel Society. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
April 30, 2025
Set around the late 18th and early 19th centuries, 'Ballad' opens with a familiar scenario - James, a high-born young man falling for a pretty house servant, Mary. This is Ireland, where religion is inseparable from, well, everything. To marry, to convert? Yes, James and Mary face these challenges. Add a jealous, scheming servant, who is set on tearing everything down.
But an upstairs/downstairs romance is not where this novel's core is to be found.
Because this is Ireland, and politics is integral. Which KM makes perfectly clear, so if you choose to believe this is just about forbidden love, and you're expecting a particular showdown, then the full weight of this book is going to hit you hard.
This is the point where I admit I'm an Englishman, and I didn't know Ireland's history in this period. So the most shattering blow came from an unexpected direction, and the way that unfolds is merciless, its reverberations echoing down to the Troubles of the last quarter of the 20th century.
'Ballad' shines a light on the best hopes of and for Ireland at a time when the nation chose to hurl itself into darkness. It's a novel that could only be written by an author who loves Ireland, with all its faults and misfortunes, who carries a bright vision of a tolerant, inclusive country, and believes in the power of conscience to transcend hate.
Read it.
But an upstairs/downstairs romance is not where this novel's core is to be found.
Because this is Ireland, and politics is integral. Which KM makes perfectly clear, so if you choose to believe this is just about forbidden love, and you're expecting a particular showdown, then the full weight of this book is going to hit you hard.
This is the point where I admit I'm an Englishman, and I didn't know Ireland's history in this period. So the most shattering blow came from an unexpected direction, and the way that unfolds is merciless, its reverberations echoing down to the Troubles of the last quarter of the 20th century.
'Ballad' shines a light on the best hopes of and for Ireland at a time when the nation chose to hurl itself into darkness. It's a novel that could only be written by an author who loves Ireland, with all its faults and misfortunes, who carries a bright vision of a tolerant, inclusive country, and believes in the power of conscience to transcend hate.
Read it.
August 26, 2025
Katherine Mezzacappa is a word wizard. Why? Because somehow she has converted The Ballad of Mary Kearney from ink-on-paper, into something that feels spoken. Whilst reading it, you will be channelling a warm Irish hearth in a room lit by candles, and a seated figure in the shadows passing on Mary’s story from one generation to the next, in the finest oral narrative tradition. The key to this story is in the title. It is a ballad, a sung/spoken/recounted tale of heroes and villains, of conflict and conscience, of opposing religious views and much more. The back and forth of dialogue and letter writing by the main characters make Irish history come to life, and brings emotional depth that will make you hold your breath from the intriguing start to the heartfelt end.
March 15, 2025
always a brilliant author
I’ve read all of the auther’s books and I cannot think of anything bad to say. The impeccable research combined with highly skillful storytelling always leaves me in awe. I try to write, and Katherine always puts me in the shade. Five out of five stars.
I’ve read all of the auther’s books and I cannot think of anything bad to say. The impeccable research combined with highly skillful storytelling always leaves me in awe. I try to write, and Katherine always puts me in the shade. Five out of five stars.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews