प्लॉट

Desmond's wife leaves him and their 3 kids after Christmas 1953. As he's unemployed in Dublin, the authorities place the kids in orphanages; when he finds a job, he tries to get his kids back.

The uplifting movie is based on the true story of the Doyle family in 1950s Ireland. Desmond Doyle is abandoned by his wife who runs off to Australia and leaves him with their three small children. He tries his best to continue supporting them singing in the pub and doing painting here and there, only to have the government and child services remove his children. stating there has never been a precedent of a father raising his children without a mother in the picture. He goes to court, loses, and is told he cannot appeal his case. He then happily finds a retired lawyer who has taken on constitutional law successfully in the past, who willingly helps him take his case to The Supreme Court.—kateann1027

Desmond Doyle is devastated on the day after Christmas 1953 when his wife abandons their family. His unemployment, and the fact that there's no woman in the house to look after the children--Evelyn, Dermot, and Maurice--make it clear to the authorities that his is an untenable situation, and the Irish courts put the Doyle children into Church-run orphanages. Although a sympathetic judge assures Desmond that he'll get his children back after he gets a job, he learns that there's another barrier. During that time, Evelyn suffers abuse. When Desmond goes to court to get his children back, a barmaid, her brother, her suitor, and a tippling footballer become his team.