Named for a holy martyr who was hanged, drawn and quartered, Clare Olivia seemed destined for a life of sacrifice from the very start. After five formative years in a convent boarding school, the allure of spiritual nobility became undeniable: perhaps her own path lay in becoming a nun. But would she truly embrace the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience – or was there another calling waiting to be discovered?

In this candid and deeply moving memoir, Clare shines a light on the often painful ways girls were moulded by church and society to curb their spirit, deny their bodies and keep their eyes firmly on their eternal reward.

With wit, poignancy and flashes of righteous anger, she shares her personal journey through an Ireland that had yet to accept the dignity of its women.