Chapters 11 and 12

In chapters 11 and 12 Monagan felt like his family was constantly shifting shapes between identities akin to the Irish mythology. (if you want to read more about it- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_mythology )

Their first identity was to be found in their struggle to become an active part of the Irish society. Though, they had connections (thanks to the Wilkinsons), their quest proved much harder than initially thought. There was no job to be found far and wide. There were, alas, malevolent adolescents to be found who were doing, or so it seemed, everything that was just possible to send the Monagan's back home.

Talking of which, it simply beats me how young people generally can be so malevolent without any reason. The most recent, though extreme example, are the young London murderers, who have taken the lives of seven people. You can read more on this topic here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2037253,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=1

Their second identity could be found in the hilarious episode when Americans thought that David was Irish and took photos of him fishing. We can sum up these two identities like this: For the Irish the Monagan's were strangers and for the strangers they were Irish.
So, based on all the above, it is only natural that the Monagan's asked themselves if their decision of coming to Ireland was sound after all. This is especially a thing one asks himself/herself when your own flesh and blood (your child) says that he hates it in Ireland. Why, oh why, did they rob their children of the security they had had in America?

Then, all of a sudden, things happen, almost out of the blue, that make you aware your decision was right. In Monagan's case it was the trip to Sneem that brought light at the end of a dark tunnel.
The holiness, evaporating out of every monument there, restored Monagan's belief in life and the family's future on the Emerald Isle.

These two chapters are one of my favourites in the book in that they brought memories flooding back of times when I felt also like I belonged nowhere. I mean, I was studying in Austria (to hopefully have a better future afterwards), but my poor mother had to take care of my grandparents, bring money home and repair everything on herslef- be the man and woman in the house. My heart broke every time when I thought about it, but I so desperately wanted to break free and feel like I belonged in Austria as I hadn't the feeling of belonging to Croatia anymore.

And then, like the Monagan's, I found my strenght again thanks to faith. Although I am not an Christian who goes to mass every Sunday, I listened to some sermons now and then and I felt my broken spirit falling into place again. Faith is something that you cannot explain rationally, but exactly in that lies its beauty and power.