The Stoney Road — Brian McCabe

As Ireland begins her difficult, troubled journey towards independence, the Berford and McNeill families find themselves struggling with upheavals of their own. These two families are brought together by marriage and then torn apart by death, war and loss. The Stoney Road chronicles a city in turmoil as a country tries to find itself. Crowds line up to welcome the king to Dublin, but rumblings of rebellion can already be felt in the dark alleys and smokey pubs. Soon people will have to decide whether to be loyal to their past or embrace an uncertain, dangerous future. The Berford and McNeill families are no strangers to rebellion. They've already seen uprisings and suppression. They know the prices that must be paid. But when Mary Berford dies soon after marrying James McNeill, the families begin a much more painful struggle, one where heartache and sacrifice can wound just as deeply as a revolver bullet. Mary's son is born into a city that will soon be convulsed by the tempestuous tides of history. The Berford and McNeill families travel a hard road as Dublin experiences lockouts, wars, risings and, most tragically of all, a civil war. They will face many hardships on their journey. They will find fleeting consolation in love and friendship. They will enjoy the warm comfort of a joke shared over a pint. And they will find the strength to meet the challenges on each uncertain turn in the road. Between 1900 and 1922, the very idea of Irishness was redefined. A new nation emerged from the rubble of war. And two families had to find their own roads out of the ruins. In 2002, an extract from The Stoney Road won first prize in a literary competition in Dubliner Magazine, judged by David Marcus.