Bulwick School “A Yankee Lad in London”

Award-winning author, Robert A. Lytle, tells the story of fourteen-year-old Michael Hanlon. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Michael moves to suburban Eastham, where he encounters Joey Cardle, school bully and son of local mob boss. Forced to defend himself, Michael sends Joey to the hospital and himself into a court case. Michael learns a life-changing lesson.
Beginning his freshman high school year, from a classroom seat, Michael watches two jet planes slam into the World Trade Center, ending his parents’ lives. Orphaned, Michael becomes the responsibility of his Irish-born uncle, living in a London, England, slum-housing district. Uncle Sean tells Michael of his father’s IRA heroics in the centuries-old conflict between England’s Protestant ruling class and his Irish Catholic family’s oppressed history. He learns how his mother and father met and why they moved to America. Uncle Sean introduces Michael to his IRA friends at his local Irish pub where Michael hears pro-IRA songs every night. Michael takes up his father’s guitar to join in the pub’s evening activities.
Michael is rapidly becoming an IRA Rebel himself when, with US funds for 9/11 victims, Michael enrolls in Bulwick School, an elite boys’ boarding academy. Michael’s roommate is Walter Tootlington, son of House of Lords Minister for Anti-terrorist Affairs. His first class day over, Michael watches as Tootles (Walter’s nickname) is bullied by an opposing house’s rugby team captain. Michael earns Tootles’ gratitude when Michael stands by his new friend.
After several weeks of breaking into the school’s social, academic and athletic circles, Michael finds himself a star player for Weatherby House’s rugby team. The day of the game between two undefeated houses finds Tootles facing his nemesis: Cromwell House’s bully-captain. Michael devises a plan to defuse the situation and become the Weatherby House hero.
Michael’s cache of American charity becomes the source of interest to Uncle Sean’s IRA friend, Pearce Devlin. Convincing Uncle Sean that he will use Michael’s money to unify Ireland, Devlin steals the funds and then convinces Michael to sing a pro-IRA folksong in Bulwick School’s talent show. The song’s incendiary nature provokes a violent reaction that nearly gets Michael expelled from school. Instead it attracts Lord Tootlington’s attention, who suspects subversive IRA influence. Michael confronts Pearce Devlin who sends his hit men to abduct Michael. Michael escapes with the help of Felicity Brown, Michael’s London native and trusted friend.
A sudden and remarkable conclusion ensues.