Eileen MacDonald

About Eileen

The publication of this novel is dedicated to the memory of Eileen Mary MacDonald, the author of Promise in the Void. A gifted lady and loyal Canadian, Eileen sought to work out many of her life experiences through poetry and creative storytelling.

Eileen was born in Ahmednagar, India, in 1912 to Irish parents stationed there under the British military. She grew up in Ireland with three siblings and faced economic and social struggles. Approaching adulthood, she was determined to immigrate to Canada to find hope and opportunity.

In 1930, at the tender age of 17 years, she and a girlfriend journeyed from Ireland to Canada by ship. They travelled from Quebec to Alberta by train and arrived at the YWCA in Edmonton. Being industrious, Eileen put an ad in the paper (with the YWCA’s phone number) stating, “Two Irish lasses willing to work for room and board.” From this ad, Eileen connected with a local Irish family, the Rutleys, and thus began her Canadian friendships. She obtained employment at the Great Western Garment Company in Edmonton and became known for her ‘quickness’ as a seamstress.
In 1933, she ventured into the Peace River Country of Alberta, where she married and gave birth to her four children. Eileen faced significant adversity, but she found great solace in reading and writing. She was interested in current events and the way people solved problems in their lives.

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