The Pub Across the Pond

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Authors: Mary Carter

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Books by Mary Carter
SHE'LL TAKE IT
 
ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGED
 
SUNNYSIDE BLUES
 
MY SISTER'S VOICE
 
THE PUB ACROSS THE POND
 
 
 
 
 
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation
The Pub Across the Pond
MARY CARTER
KENSINGTON BOOKS
www.kensingtonbooks.com
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
 
 
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
 
Copyright © 2011 by Mary Carter
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
 
Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN: 978-0-7582-7422-9
Table of Contents
Books by Mary Carter
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
Epigraph
P
ROLOGUE
-
Declan
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told in Ballybeog
C
HAPTER
1
-
Declan
Going Gaga
C
HAPTER
2
-
The Fucked-up Man
C
HAPTER
3
-
O Sacred Heart of Jaysus
C
HAPTER
4
-
One More Chance
C
HAPTER
5
-
The Good Woman
C
HAPTER
6
-
Leaving Home
C
HAPTER
7
-
Air We Ever Going to Land
C
HAPTER
8
-
The Ambassador of Craic
C
HAPTER
9
-
Make a Wish
C
HAPTER
10
-
Cabernet Sauvignon
C
HAPTER
11
-
The Family Tree
C
HAPTER
12
-
The Welcome Party
C
HAPTER
13
-
The Hangover
C
HAPTER
14
-
Extending a Branch
C
HAPTER
15
-
Three Black Swans
C
HAPTER
16
-
Mud and Secrets
C
HAPTER
17
-
Empty Kegs and Vampires
C
HAPTER
18
-
A Man Walks into the Kitchen
C
HAPTER
19
-
When One Door Closes
C
HAPTER
20
-
Bewitched, Bothered, and Bedazzled
C
HAPTER
21
-
The Walled Pub
C
HAPTER
22
-
They're Called Sheep
C
HAPTER
23
-
Down the Hatch
C
HAPTER
24
-
Trivial Matters
C
HAPTER
25
-
Mending Fences
C
HAPTER
26
-
The Curse of the Full Moon
C
HAPTER
27
-
The Nice Guy
C
HAPTER
28
-
Her One and Only
C
HAPTER
29
-
The Half Tree—Present Day
The David's Interlude
C
HAPTER
30
-
A Few Stiffies
C
HAPTER
31
-
On the Edge
C
HAPTER
32
-
The Eavesdroppers
C
HAPTER
33
-
Tips to a Good Proposal
C
HAPTER
34
-
The Americans
C
HAPTER
35
-
A Note of Clarification
C
HAPTER
36
-
Pulling Out the Punches
C
HAPTER
37
-
Las Vegas, Nevada
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
C
HAPTER
38
-
Down Under
C
HAPTER
39
-
Bringing in the Guards
C
HAPTER
40
-
Everything's Better with a Tan
C
HAPTER
41
-
Sunny Days
C
HAPTER
42
-
Goats Will Eat Anything
C
HAPTER
43
-
The Visitor
C
HAPTER
44
-
The Do-Over
C
HAPTER
45
-
Crying Wolf
E
PILOGUE
-
Declan—One Year Later
Say Nothing Until You Hear More
Home With My Sisters
Teaser
The Things I Do For You
Teaser
Author Q&A
A READING GROUP GUIDE
-
THE PUB ACROSS THE POND
To the Irish
In memory of Tony Bracken (Uncle Tony)
A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
There are so many people to thank for this book, I don't know where to start. So I will start with my agent, Evan Marshall, and my editor, John Scognamiglio, who both surprised and terrified me when he said he loved the idea for the book. Thank you, John, for your never-ending support.
From the bottom of my heart I want to thank Kevin Collins and the entire town of Kilmallock, Ireland. Thank you, Kevin, for showing me your home. Thank you for the all the crazy text messages you answered whenever I had an obscure question about Irish culture, the books you suggested (or bought for me), and your stories. I treasure the memories.
Thank you to Eileen Collins for reading all my books and for your gracious hospitality, your fabulous cooking, and a beautiful place to stay.
Thanks to Bridget, Seamus, and little James Collins, Mary Sheedy, Owen Sheedy, and my new best friends for life—James Sheedy and Ann-Marie Murphy—(if there are two nicer people on the planet, I've yet to meet them—Cows, Ann-Marie, Cows!), as well as Jamie Sheedy, Andy and Sarah, Mandy, and you too, Helen!
Thank you to Dermot O'Rourke: I wish I could go back in time to when you were a publican at O'Rourke's—it sounds like those were some days—but thank you for your stories, jokes, and hospitality; Mike and Joanne Collins; Sheila and Greg Flannigan at the fabulous Flannigan's Pub; and Mike Fitzgerald at Fitzgerald's Pub; Natalie O'Brien from Natalie's Café (you really do have the best cappuccinos). Thanks to the folks who played poker with me and forgave me a few mistakes. And thank you to Deirdre and Thomas—if any of my readers find themselves in Limerick, do make a reservation at the French Table.
In a broad sense, I'd like to thank the regulars at both Maguire's Pub and Murphy's Pub in Queens—Angus, Alan Cotter, Jimmy Kehoe, Kevin Mcinerney, Eoin Wogan, and Martin Tierney. If you said, “Don't put that in the fecking book,” I listened. Likewise, if you said, “Put that in the fecking book,” sometimes I listened too. Angus, thanks for giving me inspiration for bits of one of the characters, and an idea for one of the scenes. Thank you to all the musicians who play terrific traditional Irish music. Thanks to Peter Maguire.
Thank you, Val. I'm mentioning you mostly because you kept asking me if I was going to mention you.
I'd like to thank the bartenders: Tony Bracken (quintessential Irish bartender, perpetual good mood, never failed to call me petal, give me a hug, or ask if I was all right. You are missed, Tony), Sara Murray, Elaine McKenna, Anne O'Shea, Tony Healy, Maria Molloy, and Colm Cahill. The talent, patience, and humor it takes to entertain, serve, police, babysit, and counsel is underrated. They are superstars.
Thank you to Siobhan and Thomas Hahn for reading my books in English and German and inspiring one of the bits in the book.
I'd like to thank Pat Ward and Martin Devaney for a few good one-liners.
Locally, thank you to Susan Collins and Mary and Jimmy Egan for their generosity and hospitality.
From my travels to Galway, I need to thank Declan O'Donnell and Alexander Riabykh for their company and some suggestions on the fictional name of the town, as well as some amusing stories.
Thank you to cab drivers, musicians, tour guides, publicans, and unsuspecting citizens on buses in Dublin.
I know I'm forgetting someone or many someones, so please forgive me. If you'd like, call me on it and I'll buy you a pint.
Lastly, I just couldn't finish these acknowledgments without thanking the Irish in my family (be it several generations removed, the spirit remains): my mother, Pat Carter, and in memory of my grandmother, Mary Cunningham-George; my aunts: Bessie, Jane, Margaret, and Florence; my second cousin Mary Christine and her husband, Dave; and my Irish ancestors from Ballymena, County Antrim. I've yet to make it there, but I'm sure when I do, it will feel a little bit like home.

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