And after about an hour my dad rang someone and found out that Kelleher was spreading rumours that my dad was in trouble with the Revenue, and Great-To-Meet Micky Molloy told Somebody Somebody that his relationship with my dad was purely on a business footing. My dad said he would sue Dan Kelleher. Like, what was the story there? My dad was going to be bankrupted by the Revenue and he was going to sue Dan Kelleher, future member of parliament for the Blue Party once Great-To-Meet Micky retired? Like me and Holly did a project once for Civics. The most common jobs our public representatives had before they were elected was teachers, auctioneers, salesmen and farmers. Some of them did two of the jobs. Farmer and auctioneer. So Dan Kelleher was as good as in the door. All he needed was someone to die, preferably Micky, and there would be a by-election. Or maybe we were due a general election. They’re meant to change every five years but as far as I can see it’s always the same people anyway. Teachers, auctioneers, salesmen, farmers. It’s meant to be democracy. Idk.

The other thing he found out was that Bowles was replacing the gates at Ballyshane. They were iron gates. My dad said they were there since famine times. He couldn’t believe it. This English cunt coming over here and throwing our gates out. But, Dad, I said, Miss Corry let them rust away.

Never mind what Miss Corry did. She was one of our own.

Seriously, Dad, I said, like the Corrys?

No way, my dad said, should he be allowed to touch those gates. Those gates are part of our history.