Dublin

Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland. Robert and his family live in Dublin for about fourteen years before moving to the country. Robert, at fourteen, feels that Dublin is his home and the only place worth living. He describes the city as having numerous narrow, twisting back streets. He also describes the city as being riddled with criminal behavior, particularly theft and drug trafficking. Like any large city, Dublin in reality presents a complex mixture of environments and Robert is describing the poverty-stricken inner city.

Ennis

Ennis is a smallish city or large town nearly on the west-coast of Ireland. It is a population center for the surrounding area of largely rural farming communities. Robert and his family move into a rural home in a farming region several miles outside of Ennis. The town is described as having a single street of commercial establishments...