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Name upon Name
Belfast in 1916. Fourteen-year-old Helen is shaped by her mixed background – rural, Catholic Irish values from her mother; urban, Protestant Ulster values from her father. Helen’s older cousins are her idols: Sandy, who joined the army straight from school and has already seen action in France, and Michael, who runs away from home to enlist. But before he leaves for France, Michael is deployed to Dublin to help quell the Rising, where he’s expected to open fire on his fellow Irishmen, and Sandy writes home about terrible things on the front. What exactly are they fighting for?
O when may it suffice?
That is Heaven’s part, our part
To murmur name upon name …
Perfect class novel for the 1916 centenery by multi award-winning author Sheena Wilkinson.
‘History is rarely clean and simple; the beauty of this book is that it embraces that complexity.’ – Dr Patrick Geoghegan, Professor of History at TCD and presenter of Newstalk’s Talking History.
O when may it suffice?
That is Heaven’s part, our part
To murmur name upon name …
Perfect class novel for the 1916 centenery by multi award-winning author Sheena Wilkinson.
‘History is rarely clean and simple; the beauty of this book is that it embraces that complexity.’ – Dr Patrick Geoghegan, Professor of History at TCD and presenter of Newstalk’s Talking History.
158 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2015
52 people want to read
About the author
Sheena Wilkinson
22 books48 followersDescribed in The Irish Times as 'one of our foremost writers for young people', Sheena Wilkinson is the author of eight acclaimed YA novels. She has won many awards for these, and for her short fiction. Her first adult novel, Mrs Hart's Marriage Bureau, a historical romantic comedy, is published by HarperCollins Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 4, 2015
This is the first Sheena Wilkinson novel I've read and after reading Name Upon Name I will be going back for more.
This historical novel is set during the Easter Rising and the outbreak of World War I, Helen is living in a divided Ireland and suffering from the divisions within her own family. Helen's loyalties are further complicated by her feelings for her older cousins Sandy and Michael. Sandy is in the army and has already seen action in France but Michael is stuck on the family farm, desperate to enlist.
Everything is turned upside down when Michael runs away, but before he can even get to France he's deployed to Dublin to deal with the Rising.
Helen receives letters from Sandy in which he tells her about terrible things he's seeing on the front and Helen experiences her first taste of real war.
Sheena Wilkinson constantly asks what exactly are they fighting for? She examines the devastation of the War, the Rising in Dublin, and the battles between the families at home in Northern Ireland. For a short novel she covers a lot of topics with skill and style allowing the reader to see through Helen's somewhat naïve and innocent eyes. We watch Helen grow up far too quickly, dealing with issues from the adult world as she tries to discover her own feelings about religion, politics and Ireland rather than be told what to think by her family. And this is what makes Name Upon Name such a good novel because it covers huge, universal themes that every teenager can relate to whether they have an understanding of war, politics, religion and Northern Ireland's history or not. I really enjoyed expanding my knowledge and understanding of the 1916 Easter Rising but what surprised me throughout was how contemporary the novel feels and this a testament to Sheena Wilkinson's skill as a writer.
This historical novel is set during the Easter Rising and the outbreak of World War I, Helen is living in a divided Ireland and suffering from the divisions within her own family. Helen's loyalties are further complicated by her feelings for her older cousins Sandy and Michael. Sandy is in the army and has already seen action in France but Michael is stuck on the family farm, desperate to enlist.
Everything is turned upside down when Michael runs away, but before he can even get to France he's deployed to Dublin to deal with the Rising.
Helen receives letters from Sandy in which he tells her about terrible things he's seeing on the front and Helen experiences her first taste of real war.
Sheena Wilkinson constantly asks what exactly are they fighting for? She examines the devastation of the War, the Rising in Dublin, and the battles between the families at home in Northern Ireland. For a short novel she covers a lot of topics with skill and style allowing the reader to see through Helen's somewhat naïve and innocent eyes. We watch Helen grow up far too quickly, dealing with issues from the adult world as she tries to discover her own feelings about religion, politics and Ireland rather than be told what to think by her family. And this is what makes Name Upon Name such a good novel because it covers huge, universal themes that every teenager can relate to whether they have an understanding of war, politics, religion and Northern Ireland's history or not. I really enjoyed expanding my knowledge and understanding of the 1916 Easter Rising but what surprised me throughout was how contemporary the novel feels and this a testament to Sheena Wilkinson's skill as a writer.
April 9, 2016
In the realm of YA historical fiction, there are numerous great examples that books with rich texture, that set the stage, describing unfamiliar environments and contexts so that they come alive. Name Upon Name is a perfectly decent account of life in Belfast during World War I but falls short. It tells the story of 14 year old Helen, whose mother is Catholic from a rural background, and father is Presbytarian. She has one cousin who is in the British Army and involved in the fighting in France, and a Catholic cousin who wants to join up against the wishes of his family.
This was a complicated era and although this is a YA novel, the author tells this complex story in an overly simplistic manner. It is still a controversial history in Ireland because of the tremendous numbers of Irish casualties in WWI, and nationalists' opposition to serving in the British Army. The book fails to investigate these issues in any depth , and certainly this is understandable. But there are examples of YA historical fiction that do delve more. It is also a book that most certainly was written for Irish audiences who have some familiarity with this history and the city of Belfast. It does not, however, offer a lot of description that will amplify understanding of people from outside of Ireland and Northern Ireland, nor will it necessarily push them to want to know more.
This was a complicated era and although this is a YA novel, the author tells this complex story in an overly simplistic manner. It is still a controversial history in Ireland because of the tremendous numbers of Irish casualties in WWI, and nationalists' opposition to serving in the British Army. The book fails to investigate these issues in any depth , and certainly this is understandable. But there are examples of YA historical fiction that do delve more. It is also a book that most certainly was written for Irish audiences who have some familiarity with this history and the city of Belfast. It does not, however, offer a lot of description that will amplify understanding of people from outside of Ireland and Northern Ireland, nor will it necessarily push them to want to know more.
February 10, 2017
Gr - 5-7
During WWI while the world was fighting the Germans, some of the Irish were seeking independence from England, while others in Ireland were fierce loyalists. In 1916, 14 year old Helen is living in Belfast and her family is immersed in both sides of the conflict. She has a cousin from each side in the British Royal Army. On Easter Sunday, during what is referred to as the Easter Rising, the Irish rebels staged a bloody rebellion against the British in Belfast. Helen’s cousin is called upon by the British Army to quash the rebellion, causing him to have to decide whether he can shoot at his own people or he will have to desert. Helen’s story is set far away from the conflict and is an internal struggle about right and wrong; family and country; and family honor. Helen hears about the struggles of both the Great War and the Rising through the adults around her and through letters from her cousins. This is a slow story, but explains the conflicts in very simple terms that children can understand. Helen learns that even if she can’t decide which side of the war she should be on, she can do the right thing and can still be loyal to her family. Recommended to fans of ‘Sarah Bishop’ by Scott O’dell.
-Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix Public Library, AZ
During WWI while the world was fighting the Germans, some of the Irish were seeking independence from England, while others in Ireland were fierce loyalists. In 1916, 14 year old Helen is living in Belfast and her family is immersed in both sides of the conflict. She has a cousin from each side in the British Royal Army. On Easter Sunday, during what is referred to as the Easter Rising, the Irish rebels staged a bloody rebellion against the British in Belfast. Helen’s cousin is called upon by the British Army to quash the rebellion, causing him to have to decide whether he can shoot at his own people or he will have to desert. Helen’s story is set far away from the conflict and is an internal struggle about right and wrong; family and country; and family honor. Helen hears about the struggles of both the Great War and the Rising through the adults around her and through letters from her cousins. This is a slow story, but explains the conflicts in very simple terms that children can understand. Helen learns that even if she can’t decide which side of the war she should be on, she can do the right thing and can still be loyal to her family. Recommended to fans of ‘Sarah Bishop’ by Scott O’dell.
-Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix Public Library, AZ
October 1, 2023
Another brilliant historical fiction from Sheena Wilkinson.
This was an easy read, following the complexity of Irish men's participation in World War 1. It covered how conflicts between Nationalist and Unionist beliefs, along with personal and religious ideologies, can effect ones choice to participate in the war. But it also delved into belonging and how the complexities of the period saw breakdowns and reformations of family relationships. This was all from an external point of view, from a young girl trying to understand her own thoughts and positioning.
A lovely read, and an easy way to understand some of the intricacies of the time.
This was an easy read, following the complexity of Irish men's participation in World War 1. It covered how conflicts between Nationalist and Unionist beliefs, along with personal and religious ideologies, can effect ones choice to participate in the war. But it also delved into belonging and how the complexities of the period saw breakdowns and reformations of family relationships. This was all from an external point of view, from a young girl trying to understand her own thoughts and positioning.
A lovely read, and an easy way to understand some of the intricacies of the time.
June 20, 2021
Belfast 1916. Fourteen-year-old Helen feels in a limbo — between child and adult, as well as between Catholic and Protestant, since her mother is Catholic and her father Protestant. When the war in Europe broke out, her Protestant cousin Sandy joined up, and now Helen has become his confidante. But her Catholic cousin Michael also wants to enlist, over his father's protests, and Helen becomes caught in the middle. An excellent, believable coming of age story. Highly recommended.
May 16, 2020
An eventful story for younger readers: a brave attempt by the author to deal with both the Irish Question and the Great War. An engaging cast of characters and no hiding from inconvenient truths. Well worth a read, even as a so-called grown-up. I like and respect this author and commend her work, which is always vibrant and engaging, even with her chosen solemn subject matter.
September 2, 2016
Finished reading "Name Upon Name" by Sheena Wilkinson. I am always so impressed when I finish one of her books, and this one did not disappoint. It's set in 1916, mostly in Belfast, so WWI and the Rising in Dublin are part of the backdrop. I love the way she has dealt with the larger political and social issues but made it personal by focusing on one family and the relationships between them. Such a lovely coming of age story for young Helen as she decides to learn more about what's happening around her and worries for both her young male cousins Michael and Sandy. I finished this book feeling so satisfied and happy that I'd read it.
December 2, 2015
Written for young adults. An easy read that is set in Ireland during WW1 and the months leading up to the Easter Rising. The story is told through the main character 14yrs old Helen who lives in Belfast with her parents of mixed religious beliefs. Helen grapples with her identity, belonging, feelings on war and politics that todays readers can relate to. Would recommend to young readers
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews