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Does My Son Take Sugar?
The Ireland of the early 1980s was on the brink of enormous change - but in small towns fear of scandal could easily lead the well-meaning into making decisions that led to loss, pain and isolation among the most vulnerable, with a heavy-handed bureaucracy behind the scenes that seemed to lose sight of humane values when it came to the deepest bond of all: the love of mother and child.
176 pages, Paperback
Published June 18, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 21, 2022
This book is heartbreaking - yet wholesome. It takes the reader on Eithnes journey. You would need a heart of stone not to be touched by this story. The book captures Eithnes charm and positivity. A lessor person may have crumbled. The ending is bittersweet. For me this book highlights the everylasting love a mother must have for their child. Old Ireland was ruthless and society was cruel. I have the upmost respect for Eithne Ring. I wish Eithne, Joe, Neilie and kids every happiness.
January 14, 2024
Similar to last year, I have set myself the challenge of reading at least one non-fiction book each month and this was one of the books I picked for January.
This book tells the real life story of Eithne Ring an unmarried woman who falls pregnant in 1980s Ireland. Ireland at the time still had a huge sense of shame and stigma associated with unmarried mothers. In this emotional account Eithne speaks of her experiences of being quietly moved to Limerick city from Westport so that her neighbours wouldn't know of her predicament. Fortunately for Eithne she wasn't sent to a Magdalene laundry or mother and baby home. Instead she was sent to live with a family in Limerick. She would then give birth to her son and sign the papers for his adoption. Something she would regret forever but she saw no other choice.
This book shines a light on the emotions of having to go through what she went through, the stigma in Ireland at the time, and also her positivity later in life. Fortunately for Eithne she kept in contact with her son's adoptive mother and has met and formed a relationship with her son. Something that wasn't common for the time. The book definitely emphasises the love of a mother child bond. I also find interesting that Eithne included the perspective of her son's father, who she later went onto marry and have other children with. It was interesting to see his perspective and he owned up to his own faults in the situation of not stepping up to support Eithne and his immaturity.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one, it's a short book at around 140 pages and definitely highlights the backwardness of Ireland in the 1980s and the attitudes towards unmarried mothers especially in smaller communities.
This book tells the real life story of Eithne Ring an unmarried woman who falls pregnant in 1980s Ireland. Ireland at the time still had a huge sense of shame and stigma associated with unmarried mothers. In this emotional account Eithne speaks of her experiences of being quietly moved to Limerick city from Westport so that her neighbours wouldn't know of her predicament. Fortunately for Eithne she wasn't sent to a Magdalene laundry or mother and baby home. Instead she was sent to live with a family in Limerick. She would then give birth to her son and sign the papers for his adoption. Something she would regret forever but she saw no other choice.
This book shines a light on the emotions of having to go through what she went through, the stigma in Ireland at the time, and also her positivity later in life. Fortunately for Eithne she kept in contact with her son's adoptive mother and has met and formed a relationship with her son. Something that wasn't common for the time. The book definitely emphasises the love of a mother child bond. I also find interesting that Eithne included the perspective of her son's father, who she later went onto marry and have other children with. It was interesting to see his perspective and he owned up to his own faults in the situation of not stepping up to support Eithne and his immaturity.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one, it's a short book at around 140 pages and definitely highlights the backwardness of Ireland in the 1980s and the attitudes towards unmarried mothers especially in smaller communities.
July 10, 2025
This book is well written and depicts quite a story. Such bravery by the author.
July 24, 2025
Even those not involved by any aspect of adoption can enjoy this memoir. And for birthmothers, there is quite a large appendix in the back on all sorts of senarios & emotions.
May 9, 2026
Must read for modern young people to get a sense of what Ireland was like just one generation ago.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews