Balbriggan Woman Kathleen Byrne has written a wonderful book about her life growing up in Balbriggan , her experiences of entering a religious order and how it’s impacted her life since. A brilliant read and an insight into the life growing up in Balbriggan in the 40’s and 50’s. Born into an Irish Catholic family, Kathleen entered a religious order in France when she was 17 years old. Working and living in the prison of La Roquette, she was thrown into the Parisian underworld of crime, drugs and prostitution. Without any training and very little knowledge of the language, she struggled with homesickness, despair and loneliness. She found consolation in her faith and in knowing that she was doing God’s will. But was this enough to sustain her mental and physical strength? How did this experience affect her future? Years of living with low self-esteem, fear of God and authority, together with doubts in faith and religion took its toll. However, hoping and praying for better things to come, love found a way” The Book is available to buy online from Amazon and the Book depository.