Aidan Clarke

Where Did Mommy Go? is a story for children created by a dad, Roger Clarke, and his sons, Zachary and Aidan. They had many questions after their loving mother, Kristen Clarke, who never relented in her battle, succumbed to her illness with Ovarian Cancer at the young age of thirty-five. She left behind her cherished boys, ages seven and five, as well as her loving husband. The boys, always curious with their immediate surroundings, heard from many people their mother could take many shapes in nature. They became intrigued with the idea she watched over them, visited them, and lived all around them. Both children loved how they experienced her presence in the beauty of their surroundings. Kristen made sure Zachary and Aidan understood and felt the wonders of nature as the family enjoyed the outdoors together. These are the questions the boys asked and the answers their father gave in response.

This study fills a major gap in the mainstream narrative of Irish history by reconstructing political developments in the year before the restoration of Charles II. It is the first treatment of the complex Irish dimension of the king's return. The issue of the monarchy did not stand alone in Ireland. Entangled with it was the question of how the restoration of the old regime would affect a Protestant colonial community which had changed in character and fortune as a result of the Cromwellian conquest, the immigration that had accompanied it and the massive transfer of land that followed. As the return of Charles became increasingly probable, Cromwellian and pre-Cromwellian settlers were united in their determination to ensure that the restoration of Charles did not deprive them of their gains. This account discloses how the leaders of the Protestant establishment protected its interests by managing the transition back to monarchy.

This study fills a major gap in the mainstream narrative of Irish history by reconstructing political developments in the year before the restoration of Charles II. It is the first treatment of the complex Irish dimension of the king’s return. The issue of the monarchy did not stand alone in Ireland. Entangled with it was the question of how the restoration of the old regime would affect a Protestant colonial community which had changed in character and fortune as a result of the Cromwellian conquest, the immigration that had accompanied it and the massive transfer of land that followed. As the return of Charles became increasingly probable, Cromwellian and pre-Cromwellian settlers were united in their determination to ensure that the restoration of Charles did not deprive them of their gains. This account discloses how the leaders of the Protestant establishment protected its interests by managing the transition back to monarchy.