First off, thanks to the good souls at THE DAILY CROSS HATCH for helping to spread the word about this story’s new website. Click the link and go give them some love!
Secondly, go check out the GO HOME PADDY fan page on FACEBOOK. The page is relatively new and I’m still working out some of the kinks, but it’s just another way to spread the word about GO HOME PADDY.
And last but not least, I’ve received several emails from readers looking for more information on Irish and Irish-American History. Here are just a few books that I’ve used for research and reference while working on GO HOME PADDY:
The Boston Irish: A Political History by Thomas H. O’Connor
Boston’s Immigrants, 1790-1880: A Study in Acculturation by Oscar Handlin
Apes and Angels: The Irishman in Victorian Caricature by Lee Perry Curtis, Jr.
Ireland: Photographs 1840-1930 by Sean Sexton
The Great Shame: And the Triumph of the Irish in the English-Speaking World by Thomas Keneally (an unbelievably remarkable book!)
Paddy’s Lament, Ireland 1846-1847: Prelude to Hatred by Thomas Gallagher (if you’re of Irish descent, this book will incite you to riot!)
That should do it for now and get you started! See you Thursday.
Thanks for sharing some of your source materials — Keneally’s book IS terrific.
I think some states (NY included??) have instituted famine curriculum requirements for their grammar schools. Perhaps you should investigate. What a great addition your graphic novel might make to these types of study programs ….
Here’s a potential fact check question for you: You often see old cartoons — with even the Irish women smoking their clay pipes. Could many famine-era peasants even afford tobacco? (I assume it was an imported product into mid-eighteenth century Ireland and not domestically produced)?
Mike — Even though it appears that tobacco was indeed an import to Ireland, it seems that tobacco was often smuggled into and around the island in order to avoid taxation. I guess wherever there is money to be made, goods will be sold on the black market?
In regards to the pipes, Here’s an interesting link (scroll down a bit): http://www.ramshornstudio.com/pipe_smoking.htm