The Ballad of Mary Kearney by Katherine Mezzacappa

Blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

The Ballad of Mary Kearney tells the tragic love story of a Catholic servant girl, Mary, and her secret marriage to a Protestant nobleman, James Kilkeel, in 18th-century Ireland. Their defiance of class and religious barriers unfolds against a backdrop of political unrest and the Irish rebellion. Told through letters and testimonies, the ballad captures their enduring love amidst a tumultuous period, ultimately leading to a heartbreaking end.

The Ballad of Mary Kearney is a lyrical and powerful story of identity, religion and class set in a turbulent period of Irish history.

One of the most original aspects of this novel was the way in which the story is told. As defined in the Cambridge Dictionary, a ballad is “a song or poem that tells a story, or (in popular music) a slow love song.” And Mezcappa very much plays into this ballad element, not only through the plot of the story itself but also in the medium of how it is told. Through letters, diaries, scandal columns and third-person narrative, she weaves a compelling, rounded story told through various voices.

Mary's struggle for her sense of identity is a key theme throughout the book. Initially the daughter of a tenant and working as a ladies’ maid, she’s swept into the world of gentility, or “The Quality” upon her marriage. It’s a whole new world for her, one in which she learns to read, to speak better, and to learn etiquette. Throughout the novel, she slips back into the speech of her roots, and it’s pointed out how she is unable to use a ‘knife and fork.’ The fact she has not become James’ mistress but instead his wife is scandalous to society and a constant source of discussion amongst the gentility.

The Ireland in which James and Mary marry is already one of huge religious unrest, and Mezcappa captures this sense of conflict and divide through their relationship and beyond. A Catholic and a Protestant can’t marry, and so their marriage is one that is already challenged by outside factors. But together they build their own story, overcoming discrimination and forging a life together.

The novel builds in crescendo towards the end, with the impact of the French Revolution in Ireland and the rise of the United Irishmen. The implications for Mary and her family are heartbreaking as they get swept up into the maelstrom.

---

The Penal Laws and The United Irishmen

The Penal Laws were a series of laws invoked in Ireland during the 16th and 17th centuries. Passed by a small group of Anglican elite (known as the Protestant Ascendancy), these laws sought to restrict the practice of Catholic religion. Catholics were also banned from holding land and voting.

In 1791, the group, The United Irishmen was founded. They aimed to unite Irish people across religious divides. Meeting with government resistance and taking inspiration from The French Revolution with its ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity, they rose in rebellion in 1798. Although it failed, they inspired future Irish nationalism.

---

This novel is a beautifully written, creative and eye-opening account of Ireland in the 18th century. Mezzacappa skillfully tackles heavy themes, weaving them into a beautiful ballad of love and loss.

**if you buy through this link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.**

Thank you to Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for the tour opportunity and ARC.