The Boy at the Gate

The Boy at the Gate

by Danny Ellis (Author)

Synopsis

Danny Ellis was a survivor, strong and resilient. A successful singer/songwriter, he was proud of the way he'd 'handled' his painful past: the grinding poverty of the 1950s Dublin slums, and the brutality of the orphanage, the notorious Artane Industrial School where he was left. He'd safely buried it. Or so he thought. Then one night, while writing a powerful song that would launch his acclaimed album, 800 Voices, his past came flooding back to haunt him. Long-forgotten memories of betrayal and abandonment burst forth in a shocking revelation: his eight-year-old self was still lost in the orphanage. Although badly shaken, Danny began a courageous journey that would lead him back to the streets of Dublin, to the tenement slums and, eventually, to the brutality and scallywag shenanigans of the Artane playground. What he found with each twist and turn of his odyssey would change his life forever. The Boy at the Gate is a poignant, profoundly moving memoir of forgiveness and redemption, and an inspiring testament to the healing power of music and love.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Publisher: Transworld Ireland
Published: 13 Sep 2012

ISBN 10: 184827128X
ISBN 13: 9781848271289
Book Overview: Beautifully written with warmth and humour, this is a searingly honest, often harrowing account of a young boy's struggle to survive orphanage life, and an inspiring testament to the healing power of music and love.

Media Reviews
A beautifully written, heartbreaking story of betrayal, abandonment and the healing power of friendship and music. This will rip your heart out, but ultimately, will hand it back to you whole, and you'll be inspired by the ride. What Danny endured is wrenching and horrifying, but his style and rhythm are so beautiful and starkly honest - and the voice of the child within him so innocent and mischievous - that courage and strength win the day. This is an incredibly brave book: shocking, and sometimes, despite everything, shockingly hilarious. It's the journey of one man's struggle to connect with the child he once was. As it turns out, the road out is also the road back. I love this book! Sara Gruen author of Water for Elephants
Author Bio
Danny Ellis was born in the heart of Dublin, where he lived with his mother and siblings. He was left at the now notorious orphanage, the Artane Industrial School, where he lived for eight years until the age of sixteen. As a member of the school's boy band, he learned to read music and played the trombone. He now tours as a singer/songwriter and teaches voice and songwriting workshops. His acclaimed album, 800 VOICES is available online at dannyellismusic.com. He lives in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina with his wife.