Katy was 16 when the hard times came. Her father disappeared in the night and her mother left her with a tiny baby sister. She was suddenly thrust into the role of caretaker. It was a responsibility she didn’t want. The farming life was not for her and now she had to find a way to survive and to keep her younger brothers from starving. How could she ever be free of a life she hadn’t chosen? It was the 1850s and thousands were dying from the great potato famine, one of history’s most dreadful events. This is Katy’s story, the story of how a young girl survived by using her wits, determination and courage.