The Scrapper (17 page)

‘Yeh!’ is all Sparrow answered. Sparrow was dishevelled, his shirt torn, his arms, chest and face ripped. He was bruised and battered from the fight. He was in a mess, but he felt elated. Kieran and Sparrow were joined now by Michael Malone. Michael introduced himself to Sparrow and extended his hand.

‘Hello, Sparrow, I’m Michael Malone. I’m a fan. Jesus Christ, I don’t know where Menendez is tonight, but wherever he is, he felt that punch!’ As he said this, Michael let go with a big hefty West of Ireland laugh.

At first just a smile crossed Sparrow’s face, but then he too joined in the laughter, as did Kieran Clancy. When the laughter died down, Kieran put his arm around Michael Malone’s shoulders.

‘Well, Michael, this is the best way I can think of to start the New Year!’

‘New Year? New Year! Jesus! What time is it, Clancy?’

‘Quarter to midnight, why?’

‘Sam The Black!’ Sparrow said.

‘Who the black, what?’ Kieran was totally confused.

‘Sam The Black. Ah, it doesn’t matter.’ Sparrow waved a hand at Kieran and began to look furtively beyond the police cars.

‘What are you looking for?’ asked Kieran.

‘A taxi. I have to get home! Now!’ Sparrow’s mind seemed to be somewhere else altogether.

‘Sure, I’ll drive you home – come on!’ Kieran began to pull Sparrow towards the police car. With sirens blaring and lights flashing, they sped through Dublin city. As they reached the edge of Snuggstown at the Fairy Well, Sparrow said aloud, ‘Happy New Year, fairies!’

Kieran gave him a sideways glance but made no comment. Suddenly, just as they came to Snuggstown village, Sparrow screamed, ‘Stop the car!’

Kieran screeched to a halt. ‘What? What’s up!’

But his question was lost as Sparrow leaped from the car. Kieran jumped out too, looking confused. He became even more confused as Sparrow kicked at the large corrugated tin gate of a coalyard. Kieran looked around to make sure there were no police in sight, and made his way to Sparrow.

‘Sparrow, Jesus Christ, what the fuck are you doing?’ The question arrived simultaneously with the bursting of the gate. Without reply, Sparrow disappeared through the gateway. By the time Kieran reached the gate Sparrow was coming out again.

‘It’s okay, I’ve got it!’ Sparrow said as he sprinted past Kieran back to the car.

‘What the fuck …’ Still confused, Kieran sprinted back to the driver’s side of the car. As he slammed the door, Sparrow prodded him on the shoulder.

‘Move, Kieran, move!’ Sparrow said, sounding as excited as a little kid.

Eileen and Mickey were sitting side-by-side on the fireside armchair. Eileen had her arm around Mickey and he was dozing lightly. On the television screen the revellers had nearly gone berserk. Thousands of people were gathered around Christ Church cathedral, awaiting the striking of the
midnight bells. Eileen took the mug from Mickey’s hand and placed it on the fireplace. She sat back and Mickey snuggled up to her, the light of the fire flickering across their faces. Mickey began to suck his thumb just as the Christ Church bells began to ring out midnight. The crowds cheered and the party was in full swing.

Suddenly there was a loud banging at the front door. Both Mickey and Eileen sat up with a start. Mickey looked at his mother.

‘Sam The Black?’ Mickey asked excitedly.

Slowly Eileen got up. She made her way to the front door with Mickey just a few paces behind her. A little frightened, Eileen slowly opened the door. Standing on her doorstep was Sparrow McCabe. He was dirty, dishevelled, wet and covered in blood.

Eileen and Sparrow stared at each other for a moment. It then dawned on Eileen that the man standing before her was not the Sparrow McCabe who had left her home fifteen days before, but the Sparrow McCabe who had left her life fifteen years before.

Sparrow had tears in his eyes. He tried to hold them back but he couldn’t, and they streaked down his face as if he was wearing mascara. Slowly he brought his hand up to chest level. It was closed in a fist. He opened it. In the palm of his hand was a lump of black coal.

‘Happy New Year, Eileen,’ Sparrow said.

And Eileen knew it would be.

An acclaimed author, actor, director, scriptwriter and playwright, Brendan O’Carroll is one of Ireland’s most successful entertainers. Over the last fifteen years he has turned his Midas touch on a whole range of projects, from his much-loved radio show,
Mrs Browne’s Boys,
to his best-selling novels,
The Mammy, The Chisellers
and
The Granny,
his screen debut in Roddy Doyle’s
The Van,
his TV quiz show
Hot Milk and Pepper,
his stage successes, the release of the film adaptation of
The Mammy,
(called
Agnes Browne
and starring Anjelica Huston), and the smash-hit success of his TV sitcom,
Mrs Brown’s Boys
.

Agnes Browne is a strong woman – strong enough to cope with widowhood, seven children, a tenement flat in The Jarro in the heart of Dublin city, and the daily grind of her Moore Street stall. But even strong women need a little help and a dream of their own to keep them going …

Three years after her husband Redser’s death, Agnes Browne soldiers on, being mother, father and referee to her family of seven. Helped out financially by her eldest, and hormonally by the amorous Pierre, Agnes copes with tragedy, success – and relocation to the ‘wilds of the country’ in suburban Finglas. And when an unscrupulous gangster threatens the family’s dreams he learns a costly lesson: when you take on one of Mrs Browne’s children you take on them all!

Agnes, now forty-seven, a granny and happily widowed for thirteen years, watches over the changing fortunes of her family – marriage, prison, broken relationships, literary success. Then the family begins to fragment and it seems that not even their mammy’s iron will can bring them together again. But you can never write off Agnes Browne!