Lilly and Ceily Carney are only seven and twelve when their mother is
cruelly taken from them, leaving them at the mercy of the Church and the
authorities.
This is a terrifying prospect in 1950s Dublin, where it is likely that
the girls will end up in one of Ireland's notorious Magdalen laundries -
a fate they are determined to escape.
When Father Flitters and the 'Cruelty' people arrive to take the
children into care, Lilly and Ceily resist, and a riot breaks out. The
girls are helped by kind Mister Mullins and his daughter Delia, but
events lead to further tragedy and Lilly is left to fend for herself on
the dangerous streets. Heartbroken, hungry and vulnerable, she looks
like easy prey and it seems there will be no safe haven for her to find.