Story of a Family: A Fictionalized Account of Ferdinand and Anne (McGrory) O'Hagan Who Left County Armagh, Ireland at the End of the Great Famine

It all begins on a Sunday morning in County Armagh, Ireland. The year is 1850, and Ferdy O’Hagan has just asked Annie McGrory to marry him.

Annie says yes with all her heart, but she understands what she’s getting into. She knows that Ferdy dreams of making his fortune in America, far away from the famine currently ravaging the Irish countryside. Annie agrees to become Ferdy’s bride and support him no matter what. This promise carries her through the next half century as the two find love, loss, and laughter in their adopted home of New York City. Annie goes through the worst hardship a mother can face, but she never forgets her vow to stay at her husband’s side. This unconditional love and devotion provide an inspiration for the couple’s four children. They too set off to make their fortunes in New York City, and their adventures take them to some surprising places.

Author Barbara A. Dolan makes the vibrant young couple come to life in the pages of her novel. Joining Ferdy and Annie are their four rambunctious children; their best friends, the McDermots; and a colorful cast of New York characters!

Barbara A. Dolan always listened intently when older relatives told her stories about the family. She's blended their personal recollections with her own fictional style to present her debut historical novel, fittingly called Story of a Family.