At Swim, Two Boys

Set in Dublin and its near surrounds At Swim, Two Boys follows the year to Easter 1916, the time of Ireland's brave but fractured uprising against British rule. At its core it tells the love of two boys, Jim, a naive and reticent scholar, the younger son of foolish, aspirant shopkeeper Mr Mack, and Doyler, the dark rough diamond son of Mr Mack's old army pal. Doyler might once have made a scholar like Jim: but his folks hadn't the beans, they sent him down the country. Now he has returned, schoolboy no more, but hauler of the parish midden carts, with socialism and revolution and wilfur blashphemy stuffed under his cocksure cap.

note - foxing and former owner's name on front endpaper.