Callahan

By "Mark Paul" Sebar

It started innocently in Ireland in the mid 1800's between a young man Jim Callahan and the love of his life Molly O'Brien. However, there were tidal forces working against them both. The families didn't approve, the Church could be bought with emoluments and was by a wealthy Irish Lord. He destroyed Jim's family and stole the love of his life.

After trying to enact vengeance, Jim finds himself a wanted fugitive of the redcoats and flees with his family to a distant land called America. The Leeds Devil, a crooked sheriff, Apaches and a brutal desert land where little can survive, Jim's past will come full circle in this explosive western!

• Language: English
• Publisher: "Mark Paul" Sebar
• Release date: Aug 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9781930246768

"Mark Paul" Sebar

My most important love is story telling of fictional tales, far away places, memorable characters, great beginnings and surprise endings. I can author work across many genres comfortably. If I can connect with you my reader, then I did my job and we are hopefully, both happy.II don't try to author woke, politically correct content, but rather entertainment value work. I like to think of my stories as having a 'Movie in your mind' and if I connect with a reader that way, I have done my job.From my "Sheriff Wyler Scott" franchise to the "CalHouse" Technological terror tales of the 21st century, to a diabolical Veep at Weasle Mortgage and Loa in "$$$Amount Due$$$" to a dying man kidnapped in place of a woman by grey aliens on a disc in "Captura" ... I like my readers to be able to visit all types of places. Even in time, take "Skyway Arizona" where a 747 makes an emergency landing in the year 1885. Or a future detective "Turbadia" a detective from hell for the bad guys who seems unstoppable, to a religious scifi confrontation in the future "Thunder Dead" God versus the Devil and grey alien.It is that imagination, the travels with the characters, the places they have been, a hopeless situation turned around, this is what is important, an escape from the real world for several hours to go on those adventures and meet new characters.That is my world and I hope it 'Rocks your mind' for several hours. Humbly yours, American Author, Poet, Filmwriter and Songwriter, "Mark Paul" Sebar.

Book preview

CALLAHAN

By

Mark Paul Sebar

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Sebar Publishing

First Printing 2022

Copyright all text and illustrations in this story © 2022 All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress, United States of America TXu002329751

ISBN 978-1-930246-76-8

Index

Chapter 01

Chapter 02

Chapter 03

Chapter 04

Chapter 05

Chapter 06

Chapter 07

Chapter 08

Chapter 09

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Wyler Scott Novels

Ciera Series

Cahuilla Series

CalHouse Trilogy

Other stories

Poems

Chapter 01

Mallow Ireland 1652

The fighting between Irish and British troops had been ordered by the Rump Parliament who executed Kind Charles the 1st in 1649. The intent had been to seize Irish lands and put down the Irish rebellions commanded by Oliver Cromwell, son of Robert Cromwell.

The years of fighting and bloodshed at the governance of the Rump Parliament when they had deposed the monarchy, had added up. The death had confiscated longtime properties from families, destroyed entire towns, villages, and lead to famine amongst other atrocities.

The Callahan’s who were once strong in barony of Kinlea, had settled in the town of Mallow, which had soon fallen under attack during the Cromwellian Invasion.

They settled as the war wound down, to the east in Clare County Ireland and reestablished a large village. The name of the village became Callagan’s Mills.

Cork Harbor Ireland 1821

It was a tall sailing ship and a young hand exited the decks to greet his lover Margaret. She was a beautiful Irish lass and he so was in love with her, but realized she had been promised to another family; the Callahan’s who had already paid their emoluments. Therefore, this greatest loss of this young man Conan Lynch had sunk his heart this month. Margaret’s wedding would be all but certain and he would have to go in search of another. This would be their last time together, and it had to be discreet.

A week had passed and Margaret would soon marry into the Callahan family name to a man named Shane Callahan.

Conan watched the church from afar, as his duties aboard the sea vessel were almost at hand.

A shipmate ran up behind him. Yer still worried about that beauty, aren’t ya? he pushed the narrative.

Conan sighed a moment. Yes, It be mate. Tis was a great loss for a man like me self, ya know, he shook his head in disbelief that the very woman that he found as a perfect mate, would be with another.

The ship is prepping to sail with goods in London, he reminded Conan.

Yes, Conan replied as he glanced back at the church and its ringing bells of joy. Yeah, let us depart this place, Conan turned and the two men left for the harbor and their sailing duties.

Mallow Ireland 1844

Jim Callahan was working in the fields on a bright sunny day. He relished the harvest, but something had begun occurring to their potato crop. Jim squatted down and grasped a potato in hand and it was loaded with a black mold of some type.

He had glimpsed this rather frequently and the frequency with which it was occurring seemed to have accelerated in its intensity.

This was a rot and as he dropped that potato to the ground, he walked and picked the next one and it appeared good at this time.

It seemed that something odd was occurring to food stock. He heard her calling him with a basket on her shoulder as she approached.

The love of his life was Molly O’Brien and she was a very pretty young woman. Reddish hair, a fair white complexion and a smile that radiated his day, had shown through brighter than a pot of gold.

Molly had a great and positive outlook on life and every time that Jim laid eyes upon her beauty, she had his heart. There was chemistry between the two of them that bespoke of their growing love, and that didn’t sit well with her father, Dolan O’Brien.

Her dad didn’t approve of this and the angry father had a son named McCarthy who had always disliked Jim.

It had grown to a tense situation between the Callahan’s and the O’Brien’s over the last few years, and with utter poverty growing exponentially within their already impoverished nation and the County Cork, things were soon to reach an apex and it wasn’t at all good for anyone involved.

There was always a price for love, though Jim’s father Shane Callahan stood by his son and Jim’s mother Margaret Callahan adored Molly. The two women were like a mother and daughter and she hoped that a marriage would occur sooner rather than later.

Of course, Molly’s father Dolan O’Brien was an angry man these days. His wife Dearblha had been rumored to be whoring around and she was a drinker, frequenting a bottle of whiskey when one was made available.

The mother amplified the anger with her son McCarthy. She was very demanding and mean-spirited to him, sometimes heavy-handed and he resented this.

It was obvious the father tried to ignore her actions and also ignored her intolerance to their son and the cruel viciousness that she held over his head, often times using their daughter to bludgeon him.

Make no mistake about it, Dearblha had a very dark mean streak amplified by that bottle of spirits called whiskey, and a mean spirit it was. There was a growing darkness that she delighted in, and hers was murmured around the town, she might even be in to the Devil himself.

It was evident that as her son grew older, he resented her as much as his father but oft took out his frustrations upon others outside the O’Brien family, and that especially included Jim Callahan.

The end of the day had come and Molly entered that home of ilk. Dearblha had been waiting for her as Dolan reclined in the other room before the fireplace in their cottage, the flames hypnotically dancing back and forth.

Dearblha was just standing there, with an envious face glaring down at her daughter. You think you are very beautiful, she accused Molly in an alcoholic slur.

I am, mother, she calmly replied. I inherited your beauty, she hoped to diffuse the situation.

In the other room, Dolan had overheard this conversation. Ha, he let that out. There is no beauty here with your mother.

Speak for yourself, sitting on your arse in that chair, Dearblha shouted back.

Mother, look, I really love Jim, Molly protested and Dearblha turned to her with a wavering finger of warning.

Now look young lady. I do not approve of him or the Callahan’s, she scorned her daughter. Thee O’Brien’s are a step up upon that family. We are finer people.

Meanwhile, my brother brings much of the money home from hocking Crubeens, while the Callahan’s bring a haul of fresh vegetables and fruits to market. Far more dignified than eating pig legs. Here words momentarily left Dearblha speechless and then her mother’s expression really changed.

I forbid you to see that man, she stepped forward.

I agree, Dolan called. No more of the Callahan’s.

Jim was at the local tavern with his father Shane. Not to worry son, he patted Jim on the shoulder with renewed faith and pride. There was a father and son chemistry that just worked perfectly.

Shane had treated Jim with great respect and expanse allowing Jim to grow up without too many reprimands.

The bar girl Lillith approached their little tucked away booth, plopping two ales upon their table. Two Tanners, she smiled as her cleavage almost popped from her white top.

Shane plopped down two six pence which she quickly took with a smile. Then she left them. Becoming unaffordable, Shane muttered as they both sipped their ales.

Those potato losses, Shane started to mention.

Most of the field seemed unaffected at the moment, Jim reassured him.

I am not worried about this year, Shane replied. It is the next potato harvest yield that be having problems.

The barley seemed okay, Jim informed him. At least it wasn’t a total loss, plus Molly’s bright smile, enough to ring a young man’s heart, he praised.

That’s another thing, Shane cautioned his son, as he took another quick sip of the ale, and then waving a momentary finger of warning. Her folks…they be nasty ones.

Not to mention that troublesome brother of hers, Jim reminded his dad.

Oh, Shane became a bit startled. Another fist fight ya be in?

No, Jim replied. Not at tall. But with McCarthy O’Brien, ya never know.

Well, Shane sipped more ale. Plenty of fine lasses out there to hook, he finished the ale. Set the mug on the table and motioned with his arm up for another one.

I do not want another woman, Jim protested. I want this one. She and I are in love ya know.

Lad, you’ll soon learn that love is a perception. Everlasting love, well, Shane chuckled, that’s a wee bit of a stretch that is rare. Your mother and I have that, the O’Brien’s do not, which is why I would like you to find another lass, he winked at the bar maid Lillith as she set another two mugs of ale on their table.

She smiled politely, took his coins, started to walk away and then paused and turned and winked back at Shane, all as Jim Callahan watched.

And what was that? Jim asked.

Friendly service, Shane shot back as his grin widened and she left them at their tavern table.

They soon arrived home and while the two of them, father and son were completely intoxicated, it didn’t sit well one bit for Margaret Callahan as the door slammed shut in the wee hours of the morning.

She sat up in her gown, wrapped a