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I bet you’re from Mayo?’
    As she moved into the queue with her family, the boy was still there, badgering her. ‘You can go now,’ Aileen said, annoyed, with herself for the nagging notion in her stupid, stupid heart, but mostly that he had put her in the position of having to dismiss him in front of her father and brothers. ‘Please go away.’
    ‘Jimmy Walsh,’ the boy said, ignoring her request and holding his hand out to Paddy. ‘I assume you are father to the most beautiful girl in Ireland?’
    Paddy looked at the wiry young man as if he had two heads, and Martin was already moving in. His fists curling, he snarled, ‘You heard my sister. She said, “Go away.”’
    Jimmy ignored him and kept his blazing eyes firmly fixed on Paddy’s face, his hand outstretched and shaking somewhat with nervous energy. Aileen’s father could see from this Jimmy’s demeanour that he was smitten with his daughter. He also knew himself how immediately these things could happen, and as much as his big son Martin thought he could trash any man, lean lads could be as deadly to deal with – especially where affairs of the heart were concerned – and the last thing they needed before their long, arduous boat journey was a fight.
    ‘Paddy Doherty,’ he said, holding out his hand to the young man, who grabbed it gratefully and shook it a bit too vigorously, ‘and this is my younger son, Martin.’ Jimmy had a flash in his eyes that Paddy could not help but like, although it made him nervous. There was a kind of magic in the boy.
    ‘And this is my daughter, Aileen.’
    ‘Ignore him, Da – he’s not right in the head,’ said Aileen.
    ‘You got that right enough,’ said a round-faced, rather jolly-looking man who put his hands squarely on Jimmy’s shoulders. He in turn held his hand out to Paddy.‘Sean Walsh from Aghabeg. This troublesome scallywag is my son, Jimmy.’
    ‘Paddy Doherty from—’
    ‘Illaunmor. Sure I would know you anywhere from your father’s face. He was a legend. My own da was out fishing with him many the time, and I along with them as a child.’
    Paddy smiled weakly. He looked vulnerable and Aileen couldsee he was not quite sure what to make of this ebullient stranger having known his own father.
    ‘Ah yes – Donegal. He went there sometimes surely.’
    ‘He was a fine fisherman and he could handle himself in any weather, but then the sea only takes the very best for herself.’
    There was an awkward pause before Paddy asked, ‘Are there many of you in it?’
    ‘Just the two of us,’ he said. ‘Aghabeg is small and few of us leave. Only me and the lad here are looking for a few extra shillings this year. We’re hoping to tag on to a crew at the other end – find one that’s short maybe. Otherwise, sure we’ll just head for Glasgow and take it from there. To be honest, Paddy, it’s been a long time since I did this. I’m not sure how it works anymore. I’d be grateful for any ideas.’
    Paddy’s shoulders straightened with the challenge of being in charge. ‘I’ll introduce you to the foreman of our crew,’ he said. ‘Maybe we’ll squeeze two more in – your son looks like a fine worker, anyhow.’
    ‘You’re a gentleman, and you can tell him there’s a bit of graft left in this aul’ dog too,’ he jibed. ‘I’m not as old as I look.’
    As Paddy walked away with Sean, Aileen turned to Jimmy and said, ‘Are you not going with them?’
    ‘No,’ he said. His arms folded as he stood in front of her.
    ‘Go on. Off you go,’ she insisted, waving her hand at him.
    ‘I am staying right here,’ he said.‘By your side, Aileen. Forever.’
    Then he closed his eyes and threw his head back and sang, starting quietly and getting louder, ‘Aileen, Aileen, my angel Aileen,’ to no tune in particular.
    Martin, more embarrassed than disgusted, walked off. ‘He’s madder than a bag of cats.’
    Aileen told Jimmy to be quiet, but he wouldn’t shut up. On and on he went singing