Angela's Ashes Study Guide

McCourt family

• Francis McCourt: The writer of the book and main character. Frank is a religious, determined, and intelligent Irish American who struggles to find happiness and success in the harsh community
• Malachy McCourt: Frank's father and an alcoholic. Though his addiction almost ruins the family, Mr. McCourt manages to obtain his children's affection by telling Irish stories
• Angela McCourt, née Sheehan: Frank's hardworking mother who puts her family first and hold high expectations for her children. She is also humorous and witty
• Malachy (Jr.): Frank's younger and supposedly more attractive and charming brother
• Oliver: Frank's brother, twin to Eugene, who dies at an early age in Ireland
• Eugene: Frank's brother, who dies of pneumonia six months after Oliver, his twin
• Margaret: Frank's only little sister, who dies in her sleep in the United States
• Michael: Frank's brother
• Alphonsus: Frank's youngest brother
• Aunt Aggie: Frank's childless aunt. She does not approve of Angela's husband or how Angela is raising and caring for her children, but is helpful and loyal nonetheless
• Uncle Pa Keating: Aunt Aggie's husband, who is especially fond of Eugene
• Uncle Pat Sheehan: Angela's brother, who was dropped on the head when he was young
• Grandma: Angela's mother and Frank's grandmother, who sends Angela money to come to Ireland

Others

• Paddy Clohessy: a poor boy in the same class as Frank, who considers Frank a friend after Frank shares with him a much-coveted raisin
• Brandon "Question" Quigley: another classmate of Frank's, who often gets into trouble because of his tendency to ask too many questions
• Fintan Slattery: a classmate of Frank's who invites Frank and Paddy over for lunch and proceeds to eat all of it in front of them without offering them any
• Mikey Molloy: Son of Nora Molloy, who is older than Frank, has fits, and the "expert on Girls' Bodies and Dirty Things"
• Patricia Madigan: A patient at the Fever Hospital who befriends Frank and tells him bits of poetry, notably "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes, but dies before she can tell him the rest of the poem
• Seamus: The hospital janitor who helps Frank and Patricia communicate, and who later recites poetry to Frank in the eye hospital
• Mr. Timoney: An old man who pays Frank to read books to him
• Dotty O’Neill: Frank's somewhat eccentric 4th class teacher who loves Euclid
• Mr. O’Dea: Frank's 5th class teacher and headmaster
• Theresa Carmody: A 17-year-old consumptive girl with whom Frank has a sexual relationship. Frank desperately worries about the fate of Theresa’s soul, which he thinks he is jeopardizing by having premarital sex with her
• Mickey Spellacy: A friend of Frank's who, anticipating his sister's death, promises Frank he can come to the wake and eat some of the food