Part 1, Chapter 3 Summary

The reader is transported back to the early years of Hugh Bawn and the necessary tales of his mother Euphemia (Famie) Bawn. Famie was married to Thomas (Tam) Bawn, a man who was wonderful at poetry, singing and making laughs, but terrible at handling money and farming. Thomas loved Famie dearly, even though she was an occasional guest in a mental hospital, and Famie loved Thomas just as much. Despite his drinking and their poverty, they were fiercely in love, and Famie's mental health seemed to improve once Hugh was born. Hugh was young when Thomas left Scotland to join the English troops at war. He was killed when German troops spotted his division—the result of negligent Irish soldiers burning lanterns—and Famie Bawn went to her grave despising the Irish because of this.

Left to raise little Hugh alone...