Count Your Rainbows: 7 More Irish Heroes

 

I know with all that’s happening today in the world, it probably feels like we are in a giant hurricane but when things get low, that’s when we have to think about-what are we thankful for-it’s the only bright thing that can keep us going in the dark times. I don’t know what all of you have going on in your life, but I hope there is at least one rainbow in your life.

So today is Saint Patrick’s Day and I have previously been doing 17 heroes, but last year I switched to 7-it’s just easier.

They are just random, coming from books, films, or TV shows that I happened to read or watch throughout the year. So let’s get started with this year’s picks:

7) Clara Kelly from Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict

Clara is an Irish immigrant traveling to America. When she reaches the shores and steals a dead girl of the same name’s job, she finds herself working as a maid in Andrew Carnegie’s mansion. The two grow closer and closer together-will Clara recieve a Cinderella ending, will she remain “downstairs”, or will her life take another path?

This was an engrossing novel as it presents an interesting view of immigration, the life of a servant, the Gilded Age, and the duality of one of America’s most impressive businessmen. I highly recommend it.

Why Clara is awesome:

Clara is an amazing character full of grit and bravery as she travels across the ocean alone with no clue what will await her on the other side. When she sees an opportunity, she grabs it and becomes a maid in the Carnegie household. She’s intelligent, loves to read, has great business sense, and can hold her own against Carnegie. I liked that this book didn’t have a typical “romantic ending”, and I really enjoyed the way Clara went as I felt that any other ending wouldn’t have been as good.

6) Keara Buckley from Together in Pinecone Patch by Thomas F. Yezerski

In this picture book poor families from Ireland and Poland travel to the United States for a better life. They end up in Pinecone Patch, Pennsylvania (a mining town), and live a harder life than what was promised. The only thing that makes them feel better is to pick on the other race. But could that all change when Irish Keara Buckley and Polish Stefan Pazik become friends?

Why Keara Buckley is awesome:

Keara is awesome as while she starts off the story making fun of Stefan, but when he says something nice to her one day-everything changes for her. Afterwards she invites him into her home for tea, and begin having tea and talking to him every day. When the two fall in love and decide to marry-she ignores the racism of her parents and the town, and continues to see him and marry him anyway.

5) Tommin from The Gold-Son by Carrie Ann Noble

It is the 19th century, and all 16-year old Tommin wants to do in life is make shoes and take care of his grandmother. Unfortunately, he is constantly getting into trouble as he can’t stop himself from stealing items. When he can’t help himself one day, he finds he picked the wrong pocket as he tried to steal a leprechaun’s gold and gets himself kidnapped. Underground he and Lorcan’s “niece” are trained in being magic “gold-children” as Lorcan the leprechaun has a huge evil plan. The gold children try to escape from underground, but when they finally reach the surface they discover years have gone by-and they are now in the 21st century. Can they survive the “real” world after magic? Besides that, Lorcan is not easily defeated and he will not let his evil plan be stopped by time or distance…

Why Tommin is awesome:

Tommin is an incredibly sweet boy with a kind heart that is doing the best he can. He wants to help his grandma out, he wants to do the right thing, but he has this weakness he can’t stop. Even underground in the Leprechaun land, he tries hard. His soft, sweet, sensitive soul-is a perfect foil for the other main character Eve-who is hard, tough, and steely.

For more on The Gold-Son, go to Shame Book Tag

4) Alvirah Meehan from The Lottery Winner & Other Stories by Mary Higgins Clark

Alvirah and Willy are just average people-a cleaning lady and plumber-from Flushings, NY who win the lottery. They take the money and make a few changes-new clothes, new place to live-but the biggest changes are that Alvirah starts crime solving. It seems she has a knack for it-wherever she and her husband go.

Why Alvirah is awesome:

Alvirah is one of those people that you can dress up in $10000 dresses and she’ll stay exactly the same. Which is a reason why I love her! She is kind, fun, caring, hilarious, intelligent, resourceful, and solves countless crimes. She is willing to do anything to help anyone and is just all around one of the best “cozy mystery” sleuth characters that have ever been created. If you haven’t read this yet, then you need to.

For more from Mary Higgins Clark, go to Kissing the Blarney Stone: 7 More Irish Heroes

3) Father Malone from The Fog (1980)

Antonio Bay, CA is celebrating its 100th anniversary, but what should be a day of fun and food-turns out to be one of nightmares as an unearthly fog rolls into the town, ghosts descend on the town, strange occurrences occur, and people are murdered. Can they stop the fog? Or when it lifts will all be dead?

Why Father Malone is awesome:

Father Malone isn’t a big part, but I found him to be truly memorable. He discovers a journal from the priest in the parish 100 years ago and the truth of the night and the founding fathers-he wants to reveal the truth but is outvoted. Later when the ghosts attack, he does all he can to help and care for his people. I love at the end when the ghosts attack and he brings the cross out, begging the ghosts to spare everyone and take him instead. Like none of the others were likable but him and he planned on sacrificing himself for others, to set things right.

For more on The Fog (1980), go to There’s Something in the Fog!: The Fog (1980)

2) Charles Adare from Under Capricorn TV Series (1983)

So this is a remake of the Under Capricorn (1949) movie, and I liked the original better (you all probably saw that coming) except-I preferred Charles Adare in this version.

Charles Adare has traveled from Ireland to Australia as his family’s fortune has depleted and he’s heard that fortunes can be made quickly in Australia. He meets Samuel Flusky, a former convict turned wealthy man, and enters a business deal with him. He is invited to their house for dinner and meets Flusky’s wife, Lady Henrietta-someone he knows from his childhood. He grew up with her being close friends with his older sister, until she ran off with the stablehand. Henrietta has had a hard time of it, and Charles tries his best to bring her back to her old self-but there are dark forces at work. Someone wants to get rid of Henrietta-will Charles be able to help her?

Why Charles Adare is awesome:

So in this version Charles is not romantically interested in Henrietta at all, but is only helping her because he remembers how beautiful, elegant, and graceful she was-and wants to get her back to her former glory. He works on her-getting her to remember how things were done, tells her what duties she is supposed to do-but breaks it down, step-by-step so she can regain who she was. He provides the upper class she was used to, memories of old, and with him being from her hometown that she can never return to, it’s like having a little bit of home again. He also being from an upper class family knows how Henrietta should be treated and picks up on the power plays happening between her and the staff-along with picking out the ones who are against Henrietta.

For more from Under Capricorn, go to With a Little Luck of the Irish: 17 More Irish Heroes

1) Detective Lieutenant John McClane from the Die Hard Series

So I had wanted to include him last year, but when I looked up McClane it said it was a Scottish name. However, in Die Hard 3: Die Hard with a Vengeance, Simon Gruber called Jon McClane “an Irish flatfoot” so I guess he is Irish, not Scottish, and that means I get to add him.

John and his wife have been having problems-he’s a cop in NYC and she has a high ranking job at the Nakatomi company in LA. He is coming out this Christmas to try and mend fences-see if they will stay together or end the marriage. But Nakatomi Christmas party is invaded by German terrorists/bank robbers. McClane the only one who can do anything, but can he stop them?

In Die Hard 2, it’s another Christmas but this time John has to face off against ex-military, a dictator from another country, and trying to save the airport and the plane coming in-the one that his wife is on. In Die Hard 3 John is back in NYC, he’s suspended, but brought in when a madman threatens NYC, and wants John to solve his riddles to stop him from blowing up the city. Live Free or Die Hard McClane is sent to pick up hacker Matt Farrell and keep him alive and in A Good Day to Die Hard McClane heads to Russia to help his son, an undercover CIA agent.

Why John McClane is awesome:

John McClane is an amazing tough guy, who is extremely intelligent, resourceful, and can take any situation thrown at him and try to turn it to his advantage. He’s quick witted, easily pieces things together, and just awesome as he takes the terrorists and any villain out. He’s not great with his words (like sharing how he feels), but he would do anything to protect his family. We see in film after film-that he puts his life and body on the line (blood, sweat, and tears) in order to keep them alive and well.

So that ends my list for this year. You all know what I’ll be doing with the rest of my day. Eating some Irish soda bread I made (although there is not much left). Unfortunately, thanks to Disney+ I cannot continue my yearly tradition of watching the Disney Channel Original Movie: The Luck of the Irish as they took it off Youtube.

So I’ll have to choose another Irish themed film…good thing I have a few to choose from with all these past lists! (Counting them rainbows!) I hope you all have a wonderful Saint Patrick’s Day!

For the 2013 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to Pot o’ Gold: 17 Irish Heroes 

For the 2014 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to At the End of the Rainbow: 17 More Irish Heroes

For the 2015 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to Lookin’ Over a Four-Leaf Clover: 17 More Irish Heroes

For the 2016 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to The Wearing of the Green: 17 More Irish Heroes

For the 2017 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to With a Little Luck of the Irish: 17 More Irish Heroes

For the 2018 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to Top O’ the Morning: 7 More Irish Heroes

For the 2019 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to Kissing the Blarney Stone: 7 More Irish Heroes

Kissing the Blarney Stone: 7 More Irish Heroes

So every year, in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, I do a post on 17 awesome Irish heroes and heroines.

So this year, I tried to get 17 more Irish heroes and heroines from books, film, and TV (like I did for years 2013-17), but I wasn’t able to get that many. So instead if 17, I only have 7.

Aw, man.

Maybe next year I’ll be able to reach 17 again! But as for today:

7) Jimmy O’Brien from Fashion Model (1945)

Jimmy O’Brien is just your normal stock boy in a huge department store. He is dating one of the models and they are talking about getting married. Another model flirts with him, and a fight breaks out. Later, he finds her dead, along with another model, and the store owner. Being around so many dead bodies-the police are after him as they think he is a deranged killer. It up to him and his fiancé, Peggy, to prove his innocence and solve the crime.

Why Jimmy is Awesome: 

Jimmy is just a sweet, bumbling, goof-but an all around nice guy that is just adorable. He wouldn’t hurt a fly, flirt with another girl, or do anything wrong. He’s incredibly sweet, unfortunately-just has rotten timing. Above all-he is hilarious.

For more on Jimmy and Fashion Model, go to Wrong Place at the Wrong Time: Fashion Model (1945)

6) Marvin “Mouth” MacFadden from One Tree Hill

One Tree Hill is a small town in North Carolina where basketball is everything. The town is divided into the wealthy and poorer sections, in one lives Nathan Scott-captain of the basketball team, wealthy, dating the hot/punkish cheerleader; and Lucas Scott-plays the river court, raised by a single mom, spends his time reading classics, and being nonexistent in school. These two are half brothers, their father’s choice of one over the other impacting their lives and choices.

Why Mouth is Awesome: 

Mouth is a nerdy guy, from the river court and one of Lucas’ best friends. Mouth stays friends with him through thick and thin, big egos and shattered dreams. He always there to lend a hand, give advice, and hangout.

For more on One Tree Hill, go to We Will Fandom You

5) Bridget from An American Tail

A family of mice, the Mousekewitzes, are immigrating to America. On the ship ride over, a storm occurs and Fieval is washed ashore, believed dead. The family continues, grief stricken over their loss, while unbeknownst to them, Fieval floats to New York City. Fieval tries to find his family and gets caught up in all kinds of adventures along the way.

Why Bridget is Awesome: 

Bridget is an amazingly kind and caring mouse. She is a suffragette, political activist (speaking out against the attacks of cats against mice), and takes Fieval in until he can find his family. When Fieval comes up with a plan to fight the cats, she not only supports him, but rallies all her friends to join in.

4) Flynn O’Malley from Veil of Secrets, Choices Video Game

Veil of Secrets is a choose your own adventure type of video game. You play the main character and decide what to do next in the story. In Veil of Secrets you are visiting your best friend and roommate from college, Kate O’Malley, as she is marrying the wealthy son and heir to the Sterling empire. However, she doesn’t show up to the wedding, and you team up with her brother Flynn, deputy Naomi, and criminal defense lawyer, Grant; to discover what happened. Will you find out the truth? Or be the next victim?

Why Flynn is Awesome: 

Once a con, (although he really should have gotten off with a lighter sentence-the judge being a friend of the Sterlings gave him a much harsher one than he deserved) now all he cares about is helping to find his missing sister. He will go through anything and do anything for his baby sis, even a car accident doesn’t slow him down as he will gladly roll through the pain to find her. If you decide he will be your partner in solving the case, he will protect you through everything and everyone to the best of his ability (although you are the main character so you will be doing the actual taking down). Also if you choose he can be your boyfriend and you can inspire him to continue down the straight and narrow path

3) Caitlin O’Koren from Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

It is Caitlin O’Koren’s 16th birthday, but instead of waking up to cake and presents, she instead wakes up to police and panicked parents as her older sister has run away. This was supposed to be Caitlin’s year of being out of her perfect sister’s shadow, instead she finds herself stuck in it even more. She and her best friend join cheerleading, but through a series of events she ends up dating drug dealer bad boy, Rogerson Biscoe. This takes her in an incredibly different direction than her sister, as she has always wanted, but into another world and an incredibly different romantic relationship.

Why Caitlin is Awesome: 

Caitlin is a 16 year old girl trying to navigate her way, especially in the midst of all these transitions and changes. She is a good friend, there for anyone who needs her, and a powerful character, as she encounters serious abuse and is able to do the steps to heal and come through it. An amazing story and character-that I STRONGLY recommend.

For more on Caitlin and Dreamland, go to Plot Twist

2) Katie Callahan DeMaio from The Cradle Will Fall by Mary Higgins Clark

Katie Callahan DeMaio is a widowed county prosecutor. Katie has a rare condition which causes her to lose too much blood on her period, causing lightheadedness, blackouts, etc. One day she is driving home from work and this causes her to crash-she becoming a patient of the Dr. Edgar Highly. She is given medication, but doesn’t take all of it and awakes in the middle of the night-seeing a man move a dead body?

Meanwhile, celebrated physician and miracle birth, Edgar Highly, is facing a very large problem. One of his patients is unhappy with his care and going to go to her former physician. He has to take care of her quick, or else all will be uncovered. He prepares to take her dead body to her house, did someone spot him in the window?

Katie hears of the suicide and starts investigating, will she uncover the truth or be the next victim?

Why Katie is Awesome: 

Katie is a wonderful person who cares about her family, friends, and coworkers. She has encountered a lot of tragedy, but remains a powerful person who looks ahead at the future. She is smart, fun, and cares about bringing justice to all. She will not let an innocent person go to jail, but continues to bulldog it and search out the truth.

For more on Mary Higgins Clark, go to That Face-I’ve Seen Her Before…: Let Me Call You Sweetheart (1997)

1) Michael “Crocodile” Dundee from Crocodile Dundee (1986), Crocodile Dundee II (1988), and Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001)

Michael “Crocodile” Dundee is living his life in Australia, his reputation being built up by a friend, and making his living by taking tourists out on tours. He is strong, tough, battles any beast, and is friends with an aborigine clan-who actually raised him. When a beautiful New York reporter, Sue Charlton, writes a series of articles on him, he becomes so popular, that he joins her in New York. He’s a regular fish out of water, but his sweet nature wows Sue. The two return to Australia in the sequel, taking down drug dealers/smugglers and saving a friend of Sue. In the third film, the two and their son head off to Hollywood-also getting into crazy shenanigans and solving crime.

Why Crocodile Dundee is Awesome: 

He is such an amazing man. He is kind, caring, protective, supportive, and always there for Sue. When she wants to stay in New York, he stays too even though there isn’t much for him to do. When she has the amazing opportunity to go to L.A., even though he’ll be separated from Australia and the land he loves, he wants her to take every opportunity that comes her way-along with wanting their son to see both cultures so that he can decide what he ultimately wants to do with his life (when he is older). He a great guy, and I can watch all three films a thousand times and never get tired of them.

So that ends my list for this year. You all know what I’ll be doing with the rest of my day. Eating some soda bread made by my sister blog, MysteriousEats.wordpress.com. And my yearly tradition, watching the Disney Channel Original Movie: The Luck of the Irish.

For the 2013 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to Pot o’ Gold: 17 Irish Heroes 

For the 2014 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to At the End of the Rainbow: 17 More Irish Heroes

For the 2015 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to Lookin’ Over a Four-Leaf Clover: 17 More Irish Heroes

For the 2016 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to The Wearing of the Green: 17 More Irish Heroes

For the 2017 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to With a Little Luck of the Irish: 17 More Irish Heroes

For the 2018 Saint Patrick’s Day post, go to Top O’ the Morning: 7 More Irish Heroes

That Face-I’ve Seen Her Before…: Let Me Call You Sweetheart (1997)

That face-I’ve seen her before…

Let Me Call You Sweetheart is based on a book of the same name by Mary Higgins Clark. So first let me say that this is a made-for-Tv film. As you know those can go one of two ways, either they are pretty good:

Or they suck.

This film suck!

This movie is in between. It was pretty good and entertaining, but had a few sluggish and not as well done moments.

So I first came upon this movie by accident. I was working on 2014’s 30 Days of Disney, Songs to Get Over a Heartbreak Series, or Horrorfest III; and while I was working on that I was watching films and TV shows on my phone.

After I would watch one film I would look over the recommended list, and check one of those out too. One such film that I saw was this one. Its mystery was very intriguing that at times I had to stop my other work as I was too distracted.

Afterwards I found the book in a library book sale and took it home to read.

Clark’s book is way better than the film as they cut out key characters and even creepier moments, but if you haven’t read the story then the film is good. It only pales when you have the full version. But let’s get on to the review.

So the film starts with Kerry McGrath, assistant attorney general, running late to an appointment at the plastic surgeon. Her daughter, Robin, was recently injured in a car crash when she was visiting her father and he forgot to check her seat belt. Kerry has disliked her ex-husband, Bob Kinellen, ever since he decided to trade in his wife and daughter for the the boss’s daughter (a much younger model); and this little accident has helped heal that.

Robin’s face was badly scratched, but they’ve been seeing a genius doctor, Dr. Charles Smith, who is phenomenal at plastic surgery.

While waiting for her daughter, as Dr. Smith always makes them wait and then goes over the appointment time, Kerry sees a familiar face.

Hi!

But she can’t figure out where she saw this face.

Hmm…

She checks the sign-in list and spots the name Barbara Tompkins. Unfortunately, it doesn’t ring any bells.

Kerry goes over that evening to spend time with her “adopted parents”, state senator Jonathan Hoover and his wife Grace, that is a couple she befriended in college when she was away from her family. They having no children, adopted her right back.

Jonathan has used his influence to get Kerry an appointment for judgeship and all she has to do is await until the decision is made.

The face is still bothering Kerry, and the next time she takes Robin to her doctor she sees her again. But this time the woman is a Pamela Worth.

What is going on? This is getting stranger and stranger. Why would the doctor give two people the exact same face?

Later at work she is focused on another case, when one of her coworkers get roses delivered. Then it hits her…

The Sweetheart case was why the woman looked so familiar. She looks just like Susan Reardon.

Susan Reardon was a beautiful woman who had men fawning over her everywhere she goes. Everyone loved her and how she looked, well except for one person.

Ten years ago Susan Reardon was found murdered in her home, a bunch of sweetheart roses scattered about giving the case the name. Her father was a key witness, giving information about the fights Susan had with her husband Skip, and painting him as evil, controlling, and abusive.

Susan was known to be dating other men, which upset Skip. It was an easy open and shut case.

Done and done.

Kerry can’t get over the fact that Susan’s father created two women to be in her mirror image. She starts wondering if there is more to this case.

However, most people are not very happy with Kerry’s involvement. The attorney general Frank Green, Kerry’s boss, used that case to lock him in his job and now he is trying to move up to mayor. If it turns out he imprisoned the wrong person he can kiss that good-bye.

This is bad

Bob, Kerry’s ex, is currently defending James “Jimmy” Weeks. He is a dangerous man known to deal with mobsters. He doesn’t like Kerry investigating as he had a relationship with Susan. He tells Bob that Kerry needs to stop or else she and Robin might have injuries no doctor can fix.

As Kerry starts investigating, she finds one person who is happy to see her on his side, Geoff Dorso, Skip Reardon’s lawyer.

Geoff came on the case after the trial as he thought everything was done completely wrong. First there were a lot of inconsistencies in the story. Dr. Smith painted Skip as a horribly violent man but no one else ever saw or could confirm it.

Something is not right!

Skip said that he left a message on the machine, being his alibi, but when the police checked the house the message was stolen. There was also a frame with Susan’s picture in it and a piece of jewelry; both never recovered.

Skip also shares the relationship between Susan and her father. He was controlling, and obsessed with her and her beauty.

Kerry is unsure if she wants to pursue the case as it is sure to kiss her appointment  as a judge good-bye, but then something happens that changes everything. She discovers that Susan didn’t look that beautiful all her life. She was average and not very attractive. It wasn’t until after she left her mom and stepdads for her dad that she “became” this beautiful swan. The fact that her father operated on her is weird, but add that to the fact that he has been stalking his patients that he recreated to look like his dead daughter.

That is not right!

Then Kerry is sent threatening notes and Robin is almost attacked, just managing to get away in time.

This has really opened a can of worms and cemented for Kerry that Skip isn’t the killer. But if he isn’t, who is?

Now it would be wrong for me to reveal the end if you haven’t read book or seen the film. I figured it out, but even so I thought it was extremely well written and that the final reveal was a true pleasure. You should definitely check this one out for yourself.

To start Horrorfest V from the beginning, go to Who You Gonna Call?: Ghostbusters (1984)

For the previous post, go to The Mad Killer: Dial 1119 (1950)

For more films based on books, go to We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes: Psycho (1960)

For more mysteries, go to A Book Considered Too Dangerous to Keep: The Magician’s Nephew, Midsomer Murders (2008)