This section is dedicated to an ongoing project under the working title of “Nora’s Sorrows.” At the core of the story is the 1888 murder of Kerry farmer John Foran, and the 1918 death of World War I veteran Michael Scanlon. The men were the father and first son of Kerry emigrant and Pittsburgh resident Nora Foran Scanlon.
Below are links to published versions of the story and source material I’ve collected since 2009. I hope readers will help me find some of the missing pieces of the story.
- A brief overview, 2013
- Full version, about 12,000 words.
- Shorter version published online in The Irish Story, 2016
- Timeline notes, includes hyperlinks, sources, etc.
Original research by Mark Holan. ©2025