Characters
Who is the main character and coal merchant in the story?
Who is Bill Furlong?
What season does the story take place in?
Christmas, Winter
The Magdalene laundries were run by which organization?
What is the Catholic Church?
What is the capital of Ireland?
What is Dublin?
Who is believed to be Bill's father?
What secret does Bill uncover in the story?
What is the mistreatment of girls in the Magdalene laundry?
What is Bill delivering when he discovers the truth about the Magdalene laundry
What is coal?
What is the national symbol of Ireland, often seen on coins and flags?
What is the harp?
Who from Bill’s past influenced his belief in helping others?
Who is Mrs. Wilson?
What choice does Bill make that shows his courage?
What is helping the Magdalene girls despite the risks?
What was the main industry in many small Irish towns at the time?
What is manual labor such as coal delivery, farming, or local trades?
What economic hardship was Ireland experiencing in the 1980s that influences the setting?
What is high unemployment and emigration?
Who runs the Magdalene laundry in the story?
Who is Mother Superior?
How does Bill’s discovery affect his view of his community?
What is it makes him question the silence and complicity around him?
True or False – Magdalene laundries operated into the 1990s in Ireland.
True
What is Ireland’s nickname referencing its lush green landscape?
What is the Emerald Isle?
Which character represents the community’s reluctance to challenge authority?
Who is Eileen?
What symbol in the story reflects both warmth and compassion?
What is coal?
Name one reason many Irish people didn’t speak out about the laundries during this time.
What is fear of the Church, social shame, or risk to livelihood?
What currency did Ireland use before adopting the euro?
What is the Irish pound (punt)?