Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are the names of Frank's siblings?
What are the names of Frank's siblings?
What bad habit does Malachy (Frank's father) have?
What bad habit does Malachy (Frank's father) have?
He has a serious addiction to drinking alcohol.
Where does Frank's mother, Angela, grow up?
Where does Frank's mother, Angela, grow up?
She grows up in a Limerick slum.
Where does Angela meet Malachy (Sr.) and what trouble was he in at the time?
Where does Angela meet Malachy (Sr.) and what trouble was he in at the time?
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Why does Malachy's plan to move to California fail?
Why does Malachy's plan to move to California fail?
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Who is Angela's brother and what happened to him?
Who is Angela's brother and what happened to him?
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Which folktale does Frank seem to remember the most?
Which folktale does Frank seem to remember the most?
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Where does Malachy (Sr.) spend all of his family's earnings?
Where does Malachy (Sr.) spend all of his family's earnings?
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Who inspires Malachy (Sr.) to stop drinking for a while and what happens soon after?
Who inspires Malachy (Sr.) to stop drinking for a while and what happens soon after?
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How does Margaret's death influence Angela?
How does Margaret's death influence Angela?
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Why do the McNamara sisters write to Angela's mother after Margaret dies?
Why do the McNamara sisters write to Angela's mother after Margaret dies?
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Where does the McCourt family go when they first arrive in Ireland?
Where does the McCourt family go when they first arrive in Ireland?
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What did Malachy's (Sr.) mother tell him about job availability in Ireland?
What did Malachy's (Sr.) mother tell him about job availability in Ireland?
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Where did Malachy's (Sr.) father recommend that the McCourts go?
Where did Malachy's (Sr.) father recommend that the McCourts go?
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Where is the IRA located?
Where is the IRA located?
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Did the IRA really help the McCourts financially?
Did the IRA really help the McCourts financially?
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What did the McCourt family discover about their lodging arrangement upon arrival?
What did the McCourt family discover about their lodging arrangement upon arrival?
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What did the sergeant of the police barracks surprise Angela with the next day?
What did the sergeant of the police barracks surprise Angela with the next day?
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What does Malachy (Sr.) show his son outside of the Dublin police barracks?
What does Malachy (Sr.) show his son outside of the Dublin police barracks?
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Why is Aunt Aggie living with Frank's grandmother?
Why is Aunt Aggie living with Frank's grandmother?
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What does Angela's mother do for the McCourts the next day and what do they find disturbing about this room?
What does Angela's mother do for the McCourts the next day and what do they find disturbing about this room?
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What happens to Angela a few days later?
What happens to Angela a few days later?
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What did Malachy (Sr.) find out about his dole and how did Angela get that kind of money?
What did Malachy (Sr.) find out about his dole and how did Angela get that kind of money?
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What did Angela receive after telling the other needy women about the loss of her baby?
What did Angela receive after telling the other needy women about the loss of her baby?
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Is Nora kind to Angela?
Is Nora kind to Angela?
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What is Nora's husband's title?
What is Nora's husband's title?
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Does Oliver become ill and go to the hospital?
Does Oliver become ill and go to the hospital?
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Where did Angela's mother take her three grandchildren?
Where did Angela's mother take her three grandchildren?
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What did they find out when the boys return home?
What did they find out when the boys return home?
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What does Frank's father spend his dole money on that night?
What does Frank's father spend his dole money on that night?
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Where did the McCourts move to?
Where did the McCourts move to?
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Do Frank and Malachy (Jr.) start school shortly after this?
Do Frank and Malachy (Jr.) start school shortly after this?
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How does Frank describe Leamy's National School?
How does Frank describe Leamy's National School?
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Does Eugene die of pneumonia and how does everyone deal with this second loss?
Does Eugene die of pneumonia and how does everyone deal with this second loss?
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How does Pa Keating try to distract the family from thinking about these recent deaths?
How does Pa Keating try to distract the family from thinking about these recent deaths?
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Who did Frank have to retrieve while Eugene is being buried and what did he put on Eugene's coffin?
Who did Frank have to retrieve while Eugene is being buried and what did he put on Eugene's coffin?
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Where did Angela and her family finally decide to move to and who helps them?
Where did Angela and her family finally decide to move to and who helps them?
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What does the McCourt family discover when they move into their new house?
What does the McCourt family discover when they move into their new house?
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What special item did Malachy (Sr.) bring with him from New York?
What special item did Malachy (Sr.) bring with him from New York?
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Why did the McCourt family get less public assistance after moving to Roden Lane?
Why did the McCourt family get less public assistance after moving to Roden Lane?
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Did Malachy (Sr.) try to find a job and what does he do with the money he earns?
Did Malachy (Sr.) try to find a job and what does he do with the money he earns?
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When the downstairs area of the McCourt's house floods, where do they move to and what does Angela nickname this room?
When the downstairs area of the McCourt's house floods, where do they move to and what does Angela nickname this room?
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What do the McCourts have to eat for their Christmas dinner and is Malachy (Sr.) ashamed?
What do the McCourts have to eat for their Christmas dinner and is Malachy (Sr.) ashamed?
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What does Pa Keating do for Frank and Malachy (Jr.) concerning their pig head?
What does Pa Keating do for Frank and Malachy (Jr.) concerning their pig head?
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Study Notes
McCourt Family Members
- Seven children in the McCourt family: Frank, Malachy, Oliver, Eugene, Margaret, Michael, and Alphie.
Malachy's Addiction
- Malachy, Frank's father, struggles with a serious alcohol addiction that greatly affects his family.
Angela's Upbringing
- Frank's mother, Angela, grows up in a slum area of Limerick.
Meeting in America
- Angela meets Malachy after he completes a three-month jail sentence for stealing a truck.
Malachy's Failed Plans
- Malachy spends his train fare at a pub instead of using it to move to California, thwarting his cousins' plan for him to marry Angela.
Angela's Brother
- Angela’s brother is Ab Sheehan, who suffers heavy brain damage after being dropped on his head as a baby.
Folktales & Cuchulain
- Frank fondly remembers a folktale about the great Irish warrior Cuchulain told by Malachy.
Malachy's Spending Habits
- All of Malachy's earnings are spent at local pubs, neglecting the family’s financial needs.
Birth and Loss of Margaret
- The birth of Angela’s daughter, Margaret, temporarily inspires Malachy to stop drinking, but she dies soon after.
Angela's Depression
- Margaret's death plunges Angela into a deep depression, impacting the family dynamics.
McNamara Sisters' Support
- After Margaret's death, the McNamara sisters contact Angela's mother to potentially fund the family's return to Ireland.
Arrival in Ireland
- The McCourt family initially stays with Malachy's parents in County Antrim upon their arrival in Ireland.
Job Availability
- Malachy’s mother informs him of the lack of jobs in Ireland; his father suggests they seek financial help from the IRA.
IRA's Financial Help
- The IRA does not provide financial assistance to the McCourts, nor do they find records of Malachy’s service.
Temporary Shelter
- The family spends the night in a local police barracks due to lack of travel options.
Police Sergeant's Help
- The sergeant surprises Angela with a fundraiser for bus fare to Limerick organized by the police.
Malachy's Show and Tell
- Outside the Dublin police barracks, Malachy shows Frank a statue of the Irish warrior Cuchulain.
Aunt Aggie's Situation
- Aunt Aggie lives with Frank's grandmother due to a fight with her husband, Pa Keating.
Housing Challenges
- Angela’s mother finds a furnished room for the McCourts on Windmill St., which they discover is infested with fleas.
Angela's Miscarriage
- A few days later, Angela suffers a miscarriage and needs hospitalization.
Financial Support
- Maintaining the dole costs eighteen shillings a week; Angela receives help from the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Community Support
- Angela is given a grocery docket and befriends Nora Molloy, a kind and funny woman.
Nora's Kindness
- Nora proves to be a supportive friend to Angela during her hardships.
Nora's Husband
- Nora’s husband is known as the "champion pint drinker" in their community.
Oliver's Illness
- Oliver falls ill and is admitted to the hospital due to his condition.
Uncle's Affection
- Angela's mother takes her grandchildren to Aunt Aggie's house, moving Uncle Pa to tears when he holds Malachy (Jr.).
Tragic News
- The family learns of Oliver’s death when the boys return home.
Malachy's Spending Decisions
- Malachy spends the family’s dole money on drinks at a pub instead of necessities.
New Home
- The McCourts relocate to a new room on Hartstonge Street.
School Enrollment
- Frank and Malachy (Jr.) begin attending school shortly after moving.
School Conditions
- Leamy's National School is described by Frank as a harsh environment where showing emotion is frowned upon.
Eugene's Death
- Eugene dies of pneumonia six months after Oliver, causing deep grief for the McCourt family.
Pa Keating's Humor
- To alleviate the pain of their losses, Pa Keating shares funny stories with the family.
Funeral Incident
- Frank retrieves Malachy during Eugene’s burial and places a Guinness bottle on Eugene's coffin as a tribute.
Relocation Support
- The McCourts move to Roden Lane; the St. Vincent de Paul Society provides them with secondhand furniture.
Shared Facilities
- Upon moving, the McCourts discover the shared lavatories are used by eleven other families.
Special Item from America
- Malachy brings a portrait of Pope Leo XIII to hang in their new Irish home.
Reduced Assistance
- Following the deaths of Eugene and Oliver, the McCourts' public assistance decreases significantly.
Malachy’s Job Attempts
- Malachy does seek employment, but he ends up spending his earnings on alcohol.
New Living Arrangements
- The McCourts move to an upstairs room nicknamed "Italy," which is warm and dry.
Christmas Dinner
- The family shares a Christmas dinner of pig's head, causing Malachy shame regarding their meager feast.
Pa Keating's Generosity
- Pa Keating persuades a pub landlord to gift Frank and Malachy a real bag of coal for their fireplace.
Studying That Suits You
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Description
Test your knowledge about the McCourt family from 'Angela's Ashes'. This quiz covers key aspects of the characters, their struggles, and life in Limerick. Dive into the themes of addiction, poverty, and family dynamics present in the story.
