Elaine Farrell

The Irish in America have a reputation – you only have to look at the recent SNL sketch to see that reputation is alive and well - and after reading this book you can see why.

Started as a podcast, Elaine Farrell and Leanne McCormick bring their Bad Bridget stories to the page in this heavily researched (over fifty pages of references) and candid review of wayward Irish women in America.

From alcoholism, sex work, vagrancy, theft, kidnapping, infanticide, and murder, the picture of Irish women is not a good one. A picture where Irish women outnumbered Irish men in jail. A picture where Irish women are unrepentant repeat offenders. A picture in deep opposition to reality of Irish women at home.

What is not explicitly stated - although it is there in the subtext - is that a lot of the crimes committed here are crimes of poverty related to the lack of support and destitution the women found themselves in. Often leaving Ireland in the grip of the famine or the decades following, deserted or abused by husbands, left to raise ever increasing number of children with no hope of help or respite.

These were not criminal masterminds. They were often forced to do whatever they could to survive. In most of the case studies I found myself despairing at how easily these women fell into harm's way. The story of Rosie Quinn and her child in particular broke my heart.

A mix of social commentary, true crime and historical research, Bad Bridget is one to dip into for those wanting to learn more about the history of Irish abroad.… (més)