Malachy McCourt was born and grew up on a farm in Toome in Northern Ireland. Angela Sheehan was born in Limerick in Western Ireland. She grew up in Limerick with her mother, her two brothers Thomas and Patrick, and her sister Agnes – or Aggie as she is commonly called. Angela never saw her father, who had run off to Australia weeks before her birth.
             When Angela grows up, she goes to the USA. There she meets Malachy McCourt at a party given by Dan MacAdorey and his wife, Minnie, on Classon Avenue in Brooklyn. Malachy likes Angela and she likes him. Malachy is in Brooklyn because he had been in jail for hijacking a truck. A day in March, Malachy marries Angela. Six moths later a boy is born and they name him Francis. He is to become the main character in the book under the name Frankie. Malachy has a growing drink problem and is out of work.
             A year later another child is born. Angela names him Malachy after his father. The years go by, and Angela has two new babies. Malachy gets a job, but he loses the job after only three weeks. The wages he gets he drinks up. He comes home drunk and sings Irish songs late at night. He tells Frankie stories about the legendary Irish hero Cuchulain. Frankie loves these stories.
             A new baby is in the house, a girl this time, and they call her Margaret. Everybody loves Margaret. Both Angela and Malachy are in heaven.
             Frankie and his brothers spend a lot of time at the playground, and Frankie has to look after his brothers. When his brother Malachy tries to take his Cuchulain story, Frankie is very angry.
             Later Frankie steels fruit from a grocery shop. The twins are hungry, and Frankie wants to help them. The owner sees them, but he does not get mad. He gives them a bag of fruit, because he understands the situation.
             One day Margaret is sick, and they are all afraid of losing her. The doctor comes, but there is nothing to do - the little baby is dead. Angela is in the bed all day, crying ov...