This is a heartwarming and comical story set in post-war Dublin. It follows the trials and tribulations of a family from humble background. The father has illusions of grandeur, which results in them living far beyond their means. This is not helped by his habit of stopping off at the pub almost every night. The schemes that ensue in order to try and achieve this lifestyle lead to hilarious events. The author uses his own experiences to depict a true example of how Irish families of that era used whatever means possible, be it humour and sometimes stretching of the rules, to cope with the hardship of the times. The story centres on the youngest of the three brothers and includes many of the colourful characters that went into making Ireland the unique country it was at that time. The story follows the family's journey from the childhood of the boys through to their adulthood.