'The Weavers Of Mutiny' is inspired by a true story. Its hero, Patrick McCarthy, was one of the 'Seven Mutineers of Gibraltar,' renowned for leading a military uprising against the Kings son.
This rollicking family saga began in Ireland during the late 1700s when female oppression and religious persecution was endemic. Patrick and his mother, Mary, plot to escape a life of poverty and from a depraved man addicted to alcohol. Resolved to liberate his mother from the cruelties of an abusive father, Patrick learns the art of bataireacht from a kindly priest who is a clandestine rebel leader.
Seeking financial independence, Mary launches an ambitious lace-making career. The Irish lace business is a success and Mary partners with a French merchant whilst concealing the income from her misogynistic husband.
Disaster strikes when the merchant's lover becomes jealous and entraps Mary with false charges of high treason. Arrested, Mary is imprisoned in the Bridewell and in a desperate bid to free his mother, Patrick engages a defence barrister. During the trial, Mary's corrupt barrister conspires with her husband. Mary is found guilty of deceptive conduct in marriage and sentenced to transportation to the colony of New South Wales. When Mary's husband refuses to pay the barrister for legal services, a vindictive barrister choreographs her husband's cruel death.
Locked in the convict ship H.M.S Britannia Mary reconnects with her elderly aunt, who divines the future, foretelling Mary will become a great healer in the new land. The aunt teaches Mary secret Irish cures during the passage, and Mary becomes the ship, loblolly boy.
Escaping criminal charges, the French lace merchant flees from Cork to Versailles only to discover his lover's treacherous behaviour destroyed his Irish business and Marys livelihood. Banished from the French merchants home and with no alternate income, the villainous man enlists in Napoleon's Army.
With his mother lost, Patrick joins the Scottish 25th Regiment of Foot. During military training in Cork, Patrick risks everything to warn the rebel priest of his impending arrest. The priest avoids the English authorities long enough to protect the identity of others but at the cost of his life.
Later in 1803, while in Egypt fighting in the Napoleonic wars, Patrick recognises his mother's nemesis hiding behind a canon and kills the Frenchman in a battle for life and death.
After victory in Egypt, Patrick's regiment returns to the Gibraltar Garrison, governed by an emotionally disturbed Prince Edward. Patrick leads a peaceful protest to demand payment and release from military service. The regulation obsessed Prince Edward describes the protest as an act of mutiny and opens fire on his men. Court-martialled, Patrick received the death sentence, but the penalty was commuted to transportation to New South Wales for life in a dramatic last-minute reprieve. Tortured and shackled, Patrick departs Gibraltar with seven of those convicted for mutiny. Book one of the McCarthy series ends at sea and is a story of courage, adventure and hope.
JENNY BEST BIO
Always up for an adventure, Jenny Best was thrilled to research The Weavers of Mutiny, set in foreign lands. Although new to the Historical Fiction genre, Jenny is not new to writing, having penned many PR articles for newspapers and magazines over the years.
As both a digital nomad and traveller, Jenny has lived and worked in France, the UK, Australia, and Cyprus. Her love of travel, Irish descent, and caravan ownership has her wondering if she is part Gypsy as she follows the season's of abundance with her husband Robert and rescue dog Ophelia.
Before writing fiction, Jenny worked in marketing and public relations for the award-winning company Décor, The Gateway Hotel Brisbane (renamed Mercure Brisbane), the global company Dexion and held voluntary committee and board roles. Jenny was awarded a Deans Commendation, is an MBA graduate from the University of the Sunshine Coast and operates a successful business. Jenny's memberships include the Hobart Town First Settlers Association and the Queensland and Irish Writers Centres.
Jenny’s love of nature, intriguing stories, and belief that the actions of the past define the future, compels her to continue creating, researching and writing the next book in the ongoing saga.
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Acknowledgements
Bitesize Irish Gaelic, The Heritage Unit in Cork, Arthur Riordan from the Irish Writers Centre in Dublin, and the long list of historians and academics whose work I have referenced. Thanks also to Ian Martin, Archivist from The Kings Own Scottish Borders Regimental Museum, Dr Veny Armmano and the team at the Queensland Writers Centre, Kieth Melrose of the Peter Cowen Writers Centre in Western Australia. Thanks to Terri Adams OAM, as her research efforts discovered Patrick McCarthy, is my ‘four-times great-grandfather.’ Thanks to my dear friend Catherine Scally, who gave me constant encouragement and assisted me with the French language translations. Also, credit is due to my early readers and those who provided invaluable editorial assistance. Most of all, I thank my husband, Robert Kirk, for his unwavering support.