Crafting Fanny The Fairy: Joe's Neighbourhood

The neighbourhood featured in Joe's story is inspired by a place called Mariner's Cove in the coastal town of Baltimore, County Cork, Ireland. Baltimore is a picturesque seaside town, celebrated for its idyllic scenery whenever the Irish sun decides to make an appearance. Its colourful main street, lined with postcard worthy shopfronts, has a charm that makes it easy to imagine building a life there.

Just beyond the main street, leading towards the harbour there is a street named Mariner's Cove. This street has a row of terraced houses, each connected yet distinct. Their steep, pointed roofs, large glass windows, and elegant bay windows give every home its own unique character. What struck me most during my visit, however, was the sight of small chairs placed in front of nearly every bay window. It was as though the residents lived both inside and outside their homes, quietly observing the life of the neighbourhood from above.

That image stayed with me. It inspired the idea of Joe growing up in a neighbourhood where appearance, reputation, and social standing are constantly on display. After all, imagine living in a place where, every morning, you could sit by your window and watch the entire street beneath you. There is something almost theatrical about it. A quiet sense that everyone is observing everyone else.

That subtle feeling of superiority became something I wanted to explore through Joe's experiences with his classmates.They lived on the same street, in the same neighbourhood, attended the same school, and yet Joe remained different. He was always 'other.'

Children are often quick to notice the small markers that distinguish one another, and many of those markers are tied to social class. A first bicycle, a new school bag, or a pair of branded trainers are milestones in many childhoods. Yet even within the same community, receiving the wrong brand or receiving it a little later than everyone else can become enough to isolate a child.

Joe's mother worked as a housemaid for several wealthy families and would occasionally bring home clothes, toys, or other gifts that had been discarded by her employers. They were beautiful and expensive, but they rarely fit him properly. The sleeves were too long, the shoes too large, the coats too wide for his small frame. Rather than helping him blend in, they made him stand out even more.

For Joe, those ill-fitting gifts became a quiet reminder that although he lived among his classmates, he never truly belonged in their world.