Ellen #ONE

WHOOSH! The door crashed open, letting the rain and wind rush in with the force of an angry animal.

Wiping her red chapped swollen hands on her apron, Ellen moved quickly to take her husband’s coat.

“Oh luv, wherever have you been? I’ve been expecting you for hours, you must be wet through with this storm.” Fussing around her husband as he came inside, she noticed the rain coming down almost horizontally, as night settled over the paddocks.

She and the children had been cooped up inside listening to the incessant rain all day. Five children nine and under is about four too many in this one room cottage, I hope we see some sunshine tomorrow.

Turning to stoke the fire Ellen rubbed her arms trying to bring some warmth to her aching limbs, it looks like I will have to keep the fire stoked again all night. I don’t remember such a long winter.

Glancing towards the sleeping children in the corner she hoped they would remain asleep. At least when they are curled up together in one bed it keeps them warm.

“Barney luv, I have a stew over the hearth for your supper, you sit down now while I dish you up something warm. Then you can tell me what has got you looking so blue devilled?”

Ellen was aware of what was troubling her husband but she felt the need to get him talking. She was worried that he was keeping too much to himself. Why can’t he share his troubles with me? After all I am mother to his five children, asleep over there! 

Turning from the fire with the steaming bowl of stew in her hands, Ellen was surprised to see her husband sitting bowed over, with his head in his hands. He appeared to be silently crying. In all the years they had been married she had never seen him cry before.

“Barney, tell me, what is wrong, you are scaring me.” 

“Ah my acushla, you must know what is happening in our beloved Ireland. I can’t wring a living from land when I don’t have anything to plant. I am a Stonemason but you know as well as I do how long it is since I have had work, there just isn’t any work! How am I supposed to provide for you and the children? 

The farm just isn’t making enough to feed us all. I know that our Catholic clergy need support with tithes but it isn’t fair that I must needs pay for the other churches as well. [1] Where is the justice in that? The talk around the village is that we will be told to pay more in the coming years, I guess it doesn’t matter that the poorer just seem to get poorer! You mark my words Ireland will have workhouses soon for the poor, just like bloody England. I don’t want my family to be living in one of them. Oh lord what is a body to do?” 

Gasping for breath as she took in this tirade from Barney, Ellen tried to gather her thoughts as to how she would respond to her husband. 

I wanted him to confide in me, now I need to comfort him. Oh how do I do that?
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1.  About Tithe Applotment Books, http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/aboutmore.jsp. Accessed 11 March 2020