Catriona was born in her parent’s home on Sunday 11 November 1997 making her a Scorpio. Her father was John O’Brien, a young lecturer at Trinity College, Dublin, where her mother Brigit was a student. After the birth, Brigit took the rest of the year off, living mostly with her parents. She returned to Trinity the following year, taking Catriona with her but leaving her with child minders most days, paid for by her rich father.

Childhood

Catriona grew up very isolated and lonely. Her mother gave her very little attention or affection, obviously resenting the year that she had already ‘wasted’ with Catriona. Catriona’s father was also a distant figure, intellectual and busy with his research, but he tried his best to give her the love he knew she needed. She felt closer to him than anyone else.

Father leaves home

It was a total shock to Catriona when her father left home in the summer of 2005. This followed months of arguments between her parents over who should look after Catriona. Brigit was by now a busy TV personality and John was deeply involved in a research project.

Father’s Death

Trying to bring her father back to into the family, Catriona took the family dog Trackaway and walked to his laboratory on her eighth birthday. While waiting for him to come out of the laboratory she witness a frightening and incomprehensible sequence of events which led to his murder. From that moment her life was devastated. She felt guilty that she had been unable to prevent his death.

Relation with Sam Fitzpatrick

As a result of her father’s death and her mother Brigit’s cold and unsympathetic response, Catriona’s relationship with her teacher, Sam Fitzpatrick, deepens and  Sam begins to visit the family home, eventually marrying Brigit. He transforms Catriona’s life, giving her the love and stability she has so far lacked.

Personality

Her strongest aspect is her sense of insecurity. She is always looking for something, always hoping to find something or somebody that will give her a solid rock upon which she can build her life. She feels like she lives on quicksand, always threatened by going under. Her love for Trackaway, the family St Bernard dog, is a manifestation of this search for security.

Physical Appearance

When she goes to Geneva, aged 14, she is petite, wiry, tough yet gentle. She is pretty with emerald green eyes, a neat, snub nose, full lips and medium-length ginger hair which is typically wild and ungovernable. She loves the colour green, and many of her clothes reflect this. Her figure is underdeveloped for her age and she has the smallest breasts of any girl in her class, something of which she is acutely conscious.

To Geneva

When she learns that her mother, who is now the Irish Ambassador to the United Nations, has been invited to CERN, she persuades Sam that it would be a good idea to visit mother for the Easter holiday. She is hoping that she can solve the mystery of her father’s death.