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My Lady of the Chimney Corner (Annotated): A Story of Love and Poverty in Irish Peasant Life
On January 19th, 1863, when the spectre of the Great Famine still loomed over the land, Alexander Irvine was born into dire poverty in the town of Antrim. His parents had broken with convention and had done the unthinkable in Ireland - they had entered into a 'mixed' marriage. Anna, his mother, was a Catholic, and Jamie, his father, was an illiterate Protestant shoemaker. The social stigma of the relationship forced them to leave their native village of Crumlin to seek a more anonymous existence, away from their respective families and from the people among whom they had been raised. Their subsequent life together was a story of penury and hunger, an oppressive and relentless struggle for survival. But, throughout it all, they had one invaluable gift - a deep love for one another and for the children born of that love.
Despite his bare-footed and hunger-panged start in life, Irvine was destined to make his mark on the world as a successful minister and author. He learned how to read and write when he had left his home far behind, but he never forgot the lessons in love and life that he had learned at his mother's knee. "My Lady of the Chimney Corner" is his loving tribute to her. It is a book that teaches much and touches the soul. It transcends place and time.
This edition, with the text reset, includes illustrations by George Ogilvy Reid, a new introduction, footnotes and a glossary of words and phrases.
Despite his bare-footed and hunger-panged start in life, Irvine was destined to make his mark on the world as a successful minister and author. He learned how to read and write when he had left his home far behind, but he never forgot the lessons in love and life that he had learned at his mother's knee. "My Lady of the Chimney Corner" is his loving tribute to her. It is a book that teaches much and touches the soul. It transcends place and time.
This edition, with the text reset, includes illustrations by George Ogilvy Reid, a new introduction, footnotes and a glossary of words and phrases.
223 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 1980
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About the author
Alexander Irvine
68 books2 followersAlexander Fitzgerald Irvine was an author and a minister.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 23, 2021
Alexander Irvine was an Antrim-born author, minister, and social activist; born some 20 miles down the road from me. He is now relatively forgotten outside of Ulster literary studies and students of Irish literature in general, which is surprising given his presence on the outskirts of the Irish literary revival, meeting Bernard Shaw, Yeats, Lady Gregory, and AE (George William Russell) in his life and publishing prolifically within an Ulster setting.
In this autobiographical work Irvine narrates briefly the childhood and marriage of his parents, setting the basis for the book as a series of recalled oral tales, and events he was there to experience, all showing some way or another the vibrant personality, optimism, and the somewhat dissident religiosity of his mother, Anna. She is a wonderful character in reading, as is his father Jamie and the family friend and stonecutter Willie Withero.
As with all stories set in Ulster, sectarianism (between Protestants and Catholics) is a major factor in the fabric of society, and here Irvine shows the disillusionment those in his life had for the divide; Willie tells the newly wed couple of his habit of wearing an orange accessory on the 12th of July and a green on St Patrick's Day, and we are shown throughout Anna's peculiar adversity to church, only attending for family funerals, and for patronising proselytisers, despite her childhood Catholicism and her ardent love for the Bible and God. In a similar vein, the reader interested in religious studies will revel, as I did, in the episode of a renowned wandering beggar becoming near-Sanctified after his moral redemption in the eyes of the Antrim community, and respected for his stories of faeries. Banshees and faeries feature solidly in the community's dialogues.
Before reading this book a cursory read of Irvine's biography online would be helpful, as he alludes to events and periods of time that are not explained.
A brilliant book full of charming, intimate stories, and packed with the wisdom of a housewife close to God and Christ, who stood strong through so many years of poverty.
"Here's to the three that niver brad, th' priest, th' pope, and th' mule!"
In this autobiographical work Irvine narrates briefly the childhood and marriage of his parents, setting the basis for the book as a series of recalled oral tales, and events he was there to experience, all showing some way or another the vibrant personality, optimism, and the somewhat dissident religiosity of his mother, Anna. She is a wonderful character in reading, as is his father Jamie and the family friend and stonecutter Willie Withero.
As with all stories set in Ulster, sectarianism (between Protestants and Catholics) is a major factor in the fabric of society, and here Irvine shows the disillusionment those in his life had for the divide; Willie tells the newly wed couple of his habit of wearing an orange accessory on the 12th of July and a green on St Patrick's Day, and we are shown throughout Anna's peculiar adversity to church, only attending for family funerals, and for patronising proselytisers, despite her childhood Catholicism and her ardent love for the Bible and God. In a similar vein, the reader interested in religious studies will revel, as I did, in the episode of a renowned wandering beggar becoming near-Sanctified after his moral redemption in the eyes of the Antrim community, and respected for his stories of faeries. Banshees and faeries feature solidly in the community's dialogues.
Before reading this book a cursory read of Irvine's biography online would be helpful, as he alludes to events and periods of time that are not explained.
A brilliant book full of charming, intimate stories, and packed with the wisdom of a housewife close to God and Christ, who stood strong through so many years of poverty.
"Here's to the three that niver brad, th' priest, th' pope, and th' mule!"
June 20, 2015
This book has some lovely moments and is a wonderful tribute to the author's saintly mother. The setting has personal connections for me. My "Da" was from Ulster so most of the dialect words were familiar but even so I found the reconstructed dialogue quite hard to read.
One lovely quotable piece of reconstructed dialogue might illustrate this. It goes, "Tell the childther there's only was kind ov poverty, Jamie, an' that's t' haave no love in th' heart."
It is worth persisting with the novella though. It is a moving and at times uplifting portrait of the tough life folks endured in the mid 1800s in Antrim. Irvine himself lived 1863 - 1904 and during his early years he lived through the potato famine. I was slightly surprised that there was such deprivation even in the relatively wealthy north-west of the island of Ireland. The family had social challenges too. His mother was a well-read Catholic but his father was an illiterate Protestant cobbler, and "mixed marriages" were very much frowned upon.
One lovely quotable piece of reconstructed dialogue might illustrate this. It goes, "Tell the childther there's only was kind ov poverty, Jamie, an' that's t' haave no love in th' heart."
It is worth persisting with the novella though. It is a moving and at times uplifting portrait of the tough life folks endured in the mid 1800s in Antrim. Irvine himself lived 1863 - 1904 and during his early years he lived through the potato famine. I was slightly surprised that there was such deprivation even in the relatively wealthy north-west of the island of Ireland. The family had social challenges too. His mother was a well-read Catholic but his father was an illiterate Protestant cobbler, and "mixed marriages" were very much frowned upon.
October 15, 2019
This is a book I was aware of since childhood but never thought to read it until last month when I discovered that Eliza Conlon, an ancestor of mine, gets mentioned in it several times. The book was a real eye-opener for me. I had not realised the depth of poverty that existed in Antrim in the 19th century. In my naivety I had failed to comprehend the impact of the potato famine on impoverished town dwellers in the North of Ireland, largely due to that aspect of our history not being taught in the state schools of Northern Ireland. It’s one of those subjects that was avoided for tribal political reasons. The book is a loving tribute to Irvine’s mother, Anna, who seldom left her “chimney corner” in the family cottage.
April 7, 2014
This is a really difficult book to rate.
On one hand it is a amazing historical time capsule with a very direct description of what life was like before, during and after the famine and the background to the subsequent emigration and distancing to relatives left behind.
On the other hand you do not really get a sense of what direction the author is trying to go with the story, bar it being a tribute to his mother, so from the perspective of a narrative, it is not great.
With that in mind, I would recommend to read this book to get a sense of 19th century life for those not wearing brocade and satin slippers.
On one hand it is a amazing historical time capsule with a very direct description of what life was like before, during and after the famine and the background to the subsequent emigration and distancing to relatives left behind.
On the other hand you do not really get a sense of what direction the author is trying to go with the story, bar it being a tribute to his mother, so from the perspective of a narrative, it is not great.
With that in mind, I would recommend to read this book to get a sense of 19th century life for those not wearing brocade and satin slippers.
February 19, 2021
This was a heart wrenching read. The parts of surviving the famine were particularly touching. Anna was a remarkable woman. She had a life rich in love and those who knew her were blessed indeed. I she'd a few tears throughout this read, it will stay with me. The only reason that I never gave 5 stars is because I couldn't get on with the ulster-Scots slang. Now, I'm born and bred in County Antrim and yet I found it hard at times to navigate the wording lol.
July 27, 2022
A wonderful little book, I enjoyed and lived every page. It brings to life the terrible poverty during those years of famine, mid 19th century Ireland and how the Irving family dealt with it with dignity, humour and love. Love is enough, the emotional and appropriate words used by the author to conclude this tale.
July 17, 2013
A great read for someone trying to get a sense of what Northern Ireland would have been like in the 1800s. If there is an audio version, that might be a good idea, as the dialect can be a bit puzzling.
January 4, 2014
This is a fabulous story set in Northern Ireland in the days of the potato famine. You get an inside look at a family,the struggles, the woman who with her quiet wisdom holds the family and the community together
October 8, 2021
This book was recommended to me by my mother.
It was a beautifully crafted remembrance of the author's mother from his childhood. Initially, a little hard to read because of the dialect, but having grown up in Northern Ireland, I soon found my way. This added to the heartwarming tales. His mother was a paragon of virtue with so much wisdom, given their lack. Even though they did not have much and life was hard, it was endearing to see how they had so much compassion for others.
Beautiful - everyone ought to read this book.
It was a beautifully crafted remembrance of the author's mother from his childhood. Initially, a little hard to read because of the dialect, but having grown up in Northern Ireland, I soon found my way. This added to the heartwarming tales. His mother was a paragon of virtue with so much wisdom, given their lack. Even though they did not have much and life was hard, it was endearing to see how they had so much compassion for others.
Beautiful - everyone ought to read this book.
August 15, 2024
'This book is the torn manuscript of the most beautiful life I ever knew. I have merely pieced and patched it together, and have not even changed or disguised the names of the little group of neighbours who lived with us, at "the bottom of the world" '
In fact, this looks like an original version, with beautiful sepia illustrations. can't wait to read it!
In fact, this looks like an original version, with beautiful sepia illustrations. can't wait to read it!
July 10, 2016
A Beautiful Message
This book speaks to one on several levels. If you have Irish heritage, then you must read to get a feeling of what they had to live through in poverty. It is also a lesson in Irish culture. But most of all it needs to be read for its enduring spiritual messages which ring as true today as 100 years ago when written.
This book speaks to one on several levels. If you have Irish heritage, then you must read to get a feeling of what they had to live through in poverty. It is also a lesson in Irish culture. But most of all it needs to be read for its enduring spiritual messages which ring as true today as 100 years ago when written.
April 10, 2017
Loved this book. It's one to keep on the shelves forever. That said, I was confused by the narrative and the dialect. At times, it felt like the dialogue was narrated in a Dublin brogue. This was a little confusing because the book is set in the Antrim area, but it didn't take away from an absolutely heart-warming read. Also a beautiful insight into Ulster's past from an historical point of view.
August 4, 2019
Beautiful
Like a memory of the childhood of my father's father's mother. The tears of joy and sorrow in every word
Like a memory of the childhood of my father's father's mother. The tears of joy and sorrow in every word
August 2, 2022
A little bit of a slow burn in the first 100 pages. The last part of the book was so heart wrenchingly beautiful and I cried the last 3 pages. A story of a simple life and of a beautiful family.
April 7, 2023
A divine masterpiece.
August 16, 2025
Beautiful.
March 25, 2017
At times funny but always touching, this is a wonderful memoir of Alexander Irvine's mother.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews