Black and Irish voices have emerged in recent years and this debut book, Yeah, But Where Are You Really From?, is a moving addition to the ongoing conversations. The memoir takes us from 1974 to present-day Ireland through the eyes of the author, Marguerite Penrose.
Born with congenital scoliosis in St Patrick’s Mother and Baby Home on Dublin’s Navan Road, Penrose writes about her experiences as a mixed-race girl growing up in the city. Offering a brief glimpse into her life at this home before moving in with her foster family, she gives us a unique avenue to understand this hidden element of Irish history. Her warm and deeply personal memoir celebrates her achievements and exposes the struggles she had to endure. Her novel celebrates the diversity of Ireland and the endless possibilities of what it means to be Irish.