ach y ▁McC ourt ▁and ▁Ang ela ▁She e han ▁McC ourt . ▁Both ▁of ▁his ▁parents ▁em igr ated ▁from ▁Ireland ▁and ▁married ▁in ▁a ▁shot gun ▁wed ding ▁over ▁Ang ela ' s ▁pre gn ancy ▁with ▁Frank ie . ▁Ang ela ▁is ▁originally ▁from ▁L imer ick , ▁Ireland , ▁and ▁is ▁fond ▁of ▁music , ▁singing , ▁and ▁dan cing . ▁Mal ach y , ▁from ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁is ▁an ▁alco hol ic ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁" odd ▁manner " ▁and ▁for ▁telling ▁fant ast ical ▁stories ▁about ▁Irish ▁hero es . ▁Frank ie ▁is ▁often ▁said ▁to ▁closely ▁res emble ▁his ▁father , ▁having ▁a ▁hang - dog ▁face ▁and ▁the ▁same ▁" odd ▁manner ." ▁The ▁narr ative ▁is ▁told ▁from ▁the ▁point ▁of ▁view ▁of ▁Frank ie ▁as ▁a ▁child . ▁ ▁In ▁America , ▁the ▁McC our ts ▁live ▁in ▁modern ▁ten ement ▁housing ▁next ▁to ▁a ▁park ▁and ▁share ▁a ▁floor , ▁and ▁a ▁commun al ▁lav atory , ▁with ▁other ▁imm igr ant ▁families ▁from ▁Ireland , ▁Italy , ▁and ▁the ▁Jewish ▁communities . ▁ ▁Frank ie ▁has ▁four ▁younger ▁sib lings : ▁Mal ach y , ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁who ▁is ▁often ▁fav ored ▁over ▁Frank ie ▁for ▁being ▁an ▁attract ive , ▁open ▁child ; ▁bl ond ▁tw ins ▁Oliver ▁and ▁Eug ene , ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 ; ▁and ▁an ▁infant ▁sister , ▁Margaret , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5