The book is about the relationships between ten siblings who were born and brought up in Dublin by a selfish, greedy and manipulative mother. The eldest girl was eighteen when her youngest sibling was born. The book opens in late spring in 1969. Sheila Malone's four eldest daughters are coming home to Dublin for a party. The family home is in a Corporation estate on the North east of Dublin city.
About The Author
The second eldest of ten children (one of whom is now a very well known Irish comedian) Martha Marie was born and went to primary school in Dublin. She immigrated to London in the late 1950s after the clothing factory where she had worked since she was fourteen closed. She is now seventy three, a widow of nearly two years, three grown sons, two teenage sons, eight living siblings and a few dozen nieces and nephews; studied with The Open University and gained a BA in 1984.
As a form teacher in a multicultural state school she was responsible for teaching the personal social and health course to her pupils. Many of the discussions she had with them involved talking about different cultures and families. During lessons she was constantly pressed to talk about growing up in Ireland, and what it was like to be one of twelve living in one house. It was through telling these stories about her own life and the life of her friends also from large families that she decided to write a book.
Move Over is the first of several!