
In a remote cottage on the edge of County Clare, Ellen Duncan sits alone, mourning a loss that no words can ease. The land around her is scarred by turmoil, and the couple’s simple home—just a thatched, single‑room cabin—holds only a cow, a few pigs, and the hard‑won love that binds them. Their devotion to each other and to the old faith offers a fragile shelter against the growing lawlessness that threatens the countryside.
Owen Duncan, Ellen’s husband, faces a crushing rent bill that far exceeds the meager earnings of his labor. With their modest savings dwindling, he must decide whether to sell their beloved cow, the only source of milk and butter, or risk losing the farm entirely. As the couple wrestles with pride, duty, and the fear of impending hardship, their quiet resilience becomes a poignant portrait of rural life on the brink of change.
Full title
Ellen Duncan; And The Proctor's Daughter The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (58K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by David Widger
Release date
2005-06-07
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1794–1869
Known for vivid stories of Irish rural life, this 19th-century novelist drew deeply on the people, customs, and hardships he knew growing up in County Tyrone. His work helped bring everyday Irish voices and village life into popular fiction.
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by William Carleton

by William Carleton
by William Carleton

by William Carleton
by William Carleton

by William Carleton

by William Carleton

by William Carleton