An Apology For Roses

She had been born with a greater capacity for love and pleasure than most people; and her nature had very early on found itself at war with the primitive, property-ridden society in which she was reared. The story of Marie Fogerty, a young girl caught between two lovers, exposes the social and religious hypocrisy of an Irish town in the 1970s. Marie has grown dissatisfied with her affair with Fr Tom Moran, a loveless relationship condoned by her parents, observed by the town, and borne from mutual listlessness. However, the arrival of Brian Langley, a salesman from Galway, offers Marie glimpses of a new and passionate life. Brians suspicions about Maries past loves, and the dwindling health of Maries father threaten to tear apart a relationship that stands outside of a small towns social norms. A meditation on love and possession, An Apology for Roses remains as relevant today as it was when it first appeared in print. See more