That was so very pretty. I also always wondered what had happened to Seamus father and why he was never mentioned.

However I always thought Seamus famil had some money if they could buy tickets for the Quidditch World Cup and also bring Dean along...

Very well written story, I liked it.

Breathtaking. Your way with words is just remarkable, you have really inspired my use of imagery. I can't think of anything constructive to say, I am truly amazed at the way you have written an almost perfect story-line out of so little canon information.

I could taste the Connemara highlands on my tongue, I could barely see in that smoky room. I am in awe of the way you have captured emotion, time, class and history in this tiny piece of writing.

My favourite line was: "Alone in a smoky room, Moira’s laying out the cards, and the Ace of Spades spells death." And also all the mentions of bravery and ancestory, the whole piece was remarkable.

- Frayed

LOVE this piece- esp. the line's 'of course he's brave. He's Irish' (though i'm partial, seeing as every name on my family tree hails from sligo or county cork) and the line 'no one lives well on leprechaun gold'
it is simply a fabulous interpretation accounting for a character almost no one thinks about, with a look at the class from a parent's point of view (Lavender the chit from Brighton, Harry and Neville- smashingly done), and the mention of the hogwarts fund, as well as tarot, pureblood ancestry, druidic roots allowing for a look at magic in light of tradition.
interesting use of bringing in mass; wizards practicing christianity, huh...
but anyway, fascinating look at seamus through the window of his mother's eyes

Wow, you really write beautifully, and you chose a great topic.

And an intriguing little piece it has become. The way you catch the Irish spirit is easily on a level with Maeve Binchy or Roddy Doyle.
Brave and stupid - they really are often very closely related!

Wow. This is really well written and so very stmospheric. Very very convincing as well.

great work!

You've really hit the nail on the head. I've always wondered about the contrast between Seamus's life at home and life at Hogwarts. J.K. Rowling never really explores much of his background, which is a shame. But I really think your portrayal of his family is plausible.
Not to mention you've captured the essence of Connemara people. Practical, straightforward, not ones to mince words. However, I doubt they dabble in Tarot or tealeaf reading. Though I have my suspicions...LOL. Behind closed doors, who knows?
Also, the way your Moira phrases things is typically Irish. You've avoided the sterotypical "Top o' the mornin' to ya", while at the same time conveying the difference between British English and Irish English.
All in all, I enjoyed your depiction, congratulations on a job well done!

A very good, very intruiging piece of wizarding culture. How does irish and english wizards regard each other? What did Finnegan's mother think about that "nasty shock"?. Writingwise, it was seriously clever, wiht repeats of simple sentenses, emphasing the very real emothions behind the opinions. Well done!

"Magic or no, no one lives well on leprechaun gold." - a highly insightsful line - not to mention suggestive.

I love Seamus Finnigan as a character, so naturally when I read your story summary, I had to have a look! Now that I have, I'm glad. I really liked how you portrayed his home life and his family. In fact, I just read the essay you mentioned... yesterday? Or the day before? Anyway, this is very realistic and how you've written his mother is 100% how I envisioned her.

Excellent work.

How interesting. Really. How very, very interesting.

His mother is so real, the slamming and the worrying.

I had wondered about Seamus' homelife. Everything here is just what I suspected, down to Dean's West Indian heritage, and it's written out gloriously. I think I will go take a look at that Lexicon, read that essay.

God, I love the Irish.

~SiP

I'm not good at reviews, sorry, but I feel obliged to because I loved your story! It was sad but it was good, cos I've always wondered about Seamus' family. Off to read everything else you've written!

Oh my... your writing is beautiful... your interpretation of the land and bravery and the characters and everything else is absolutely beautiful...

BEAUTIFUL from start to finish. Now I'm off to read everything else you've written.

::adds you to Favorites::

"She thinks she sees a falcon. She thinks she sees a cross. She thinks she sees a Grim. She thinks he’ll get himself killed and never come home to Connemara. She thinks he’ll get Imperiused, Cruciatused, undone."
Beautifully lyrical - from one rather "throw away" line, you've brought an entire world to life. I can almost see the cottage in my mind - the rolling hills, the witch laying out her cards utterly alone. Beautiful but very sad.

I'm so glad to see more stories from you...this one is painfully lovely. I've occasionally thought that Seamus is often underrated; if the Wizarding Irish/English relations are anything like the Muggle, things could be rather nasty for him now and again.

This was particularly vivid for me since I visited my great-aunt on the coast of Ireland last summer; the landscape is heartbreakingly spare and beautiful. The mood you captured was perfect.

Brava!