Liam O'Donnel, an Irish youth navigating his adolescence in Scotland, is a recurring protagonist in Donal McLaughlin's humorous and poignant short stories. "Beheading the Virgin Mary" broadens this loosely connected narrative, with unrelated reports interspersed every other story. Throughout the collection, Liam's exploits range from accidentally stepping in dog excrement on his way to Sunday Mass, to experiencing Bloody Sunday via a series of phone calls to his Scottish neighbor's home. The opening story unveils the following O'Donnell generation. McLaughlin's exceptional storytelling talent and acute ear for dialogue establish him as among the most outstanding voices in modern European fiction.