Local author pens book on life in 19th century Ireland - Kilkenny Live

A local author has penned her second book at the tender age of 87 telling the story of life in 19th century Ireland.

Penalised was independently published in November by Pam Skelton. The book is a prequel to her first book, 'First To Go'.

Penalised  tells the story of a family surviving through the tumultuous and important years of 19th century Ireland. It tells of one family’s survival throughout 100 years in the face of: the Rebellions of 1798 and 1848, the potato famine, plague, evictions, faction fighting and the Irish Brigade in the Papal Wars in Italy. It also highlights the fight for Catholic emancipation, hedge teachers and the taking of Mass in the fields.

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The book was first written to preserve details of a real family living in southern Tipperary and the book quickly expanded into a novel.

“I wrote this book to share it with family and friends. When I saw the final product, I was overwhelmed,” she said.

The book was launched in November. It is available from Amazon in E-book, paperback or hardback format and is a rigorously researched and perfectly presented depiction of life in part of 19th century Ireland.

Pam's first book, 'First to Go' was published in 2021 and tells the story of the author's grandmother Bridget Frisby who grew up in Ballingarry. Bridget’s legacy was passed down through generations of the author's family and has been substantiated by much genealogical research. It is a rich and compelling historical novel you will never forget.