In 1843, Padraig Aherne sets off to Dublin to rally for his country’s independence, unaware that his girlfriend is pregnant with his child. But once he reaches the big city, a dangerous mistake forces him on a ship destined for Calcutta. As the potato famine devastates their home, Padraig’s best friend escapes with his young daughter across the ocean, aboard one of the infamous “coffin ships” headed for America. As two family trees expand, Padraig’s descendants struggle to define themselves and find their places in the world.