A list of characters appearing in Colleen McCullogh's family saga The Thorn Birds, and the 1983 TV miniseries off which it is based.
The Clearys
The Irish family around which most of the story revolves. When the novel begins, they are still residing in New Zealand; in the start of the TV series, they are arriving on Drogheda a few years later.- Adaptation Dye-Job: Of the whole Cleary family, only Frank looks the same in the book and movie. The rest of the family are all changed from redheaded to brunettes.
- Big, Screwed-Up Family: They seem happy at first, but the family ghosts come out as the plot progresses.
- Strong Family Resemblance: In the books, Bob, Jack, Hughie, Stu, Meggie, Hal, and the twins all have Paddy's (and Mary's) characteristic red hair.
- Working-Class Hero: Mary being the exception.
The father of the family and Mary Carson's younger brother. A simple, sweet, working-class Irishman who loves the land and his family, but also carries a temper when he must. Gets killed in the fire on Drogheda, along with Stu.
Tropes:
- Perfectly Arranged Marriage: With Fee. Despite the circumstances around their arranged marriage, it's made clear time and again they really love each other and Paddy always tries his best to give Fee whatever she needs.
Paddy's wife and the mother of nine (six in the TV series) children. A beautiful but serious, often poker-faced woman who runs the household with stern diligence. Used to be from one of New Zealand's wealthiest and most influential families before marrying Paddy.
Tropes:
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Grows up to be a much sweeter, more attentive grandmother than she was a mother.
- Generation Xerox: Despite expressly saying she does not want to see Meggie repeat her mistakes, she watches Meggie have an affair, dote on the resulting son, and then lose said son, just like she herself did with Frank.
- Heroic Blue Screen of Death: Gets a few: when Paddy and Stu die and when the family learns of Frank being in prison.
- Secret-Keeper: It's only Fee who catches onto Dane's true parentage 100% from the start. In the novel, she didn't let on to Meggie until the boy was an adolescent.
The oldest Cleary son, almost 16 at the start of the novel. Prone to fighting and trouble thanks to his explosive, unpredictable temper. Holds a lifelong disdain for his whole family except Fee and Meggie, both of whom he is extremely protective of.
Tropes:
- Big Brother Instinct: To Meggie and sometimes Stu.
- Chocolate Baby
The second-oldest son, 11 at the start of the book. Once arriving on Drogheda, he works as one of the managing stockmen, and remains there unmarried his whole life.
Tropes:
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Jack.
The third son, ten at the very beginning of the novel. Inseparable from Bob. Works as a hand on Drogheda his whole life.
Tropes:
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Bob.
The fourth Cleary son, appearing in the book only. When the book starts he is nine and very mischievous, usually following Bob and Jack. Never marries and stays on Drogheda into old age.
Tropes:
- Adapted Out of the miniseries
Cleary son #5 (#4 in the miniseries), five years old when the book begins. Gentler, more mature, and meeker than his rowdy brothers, he takes after Fee in disposition and is closer to Meggie. Killed by a wild boar in the aftermath of the big fire.
Tropes:
The story's leading lady, the Cleary's only daughter. Bright but naïve, she's just four years old at the book's start. Girly and sensitive, but with the power to stick up for herself. Often feels lonely and left out of her family, being the only girl, but grows closer to them in adulthood. All the hardship in her life causes Father Ralph to feel great pity and reach out to her. As she grows up, their relationship turns to a very off-limits passion which serves as the story's main conflict. As a young woman she is strikingly beautiful and has wealthy suitors lining up to be with her, but she ends up marrying Drogheda guest worker Luke O'Neill. After the subsequent divorce, she returns to Drogheda to raise her children with the Clearys.
- Break the Cutie
- Generation Xerox: Has an affair with Ralph, just like Fee did with the Maori politician, and loves the resulting son more than she does Justine, just as Fee loved Frank more than all her other children.
- Gorgeous Period Dress: Lovely 1930s and '40s fashion in the TV series, shown off on the stunning Rachel Ward.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Or rather, a striking strawberry-blonde.
- The Ingenue
- May–December Romance: Ralph is 18 years older than her.
- She Is All Grown Up: Everyone's reaction to her at Mary's birthday party, especially Ralph's.
The O'Neills
A hardworking, crafty man who bears a resemblance to Father Ralph. He arrives on Drogheda first during shearing season and decides to stay to court Meggie. Ends up marrying her, due in no small part to her money, but their marriage is an unhappy one and he is seldom there for her. Eventually she leaves him.
Tropes:
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Arne Swenson, his cane-cutting boss.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk
- Married to the Job: Once he begins cutting cane.
Meggie and Luke's impossibly stubborn, difficult daughter. Grows up to be a professional actress.
Tropes:
- Cool Big Sis: To Dane - in fact, he is possibly the only person on earth she can genuinely tolerate.
- Fiery Redhead
Meggie and Ralph's son, a sweet boy and his mother's favorite, born after Meggie leaves Luke. While it is assumed by most that Luke is his biological father, he is the spitting image of Ralph. Drowns while vacationing in Greece.
Tropes:
- Turn Out Like His Father: Enters the priesthood, to Meggie's horror.
- To an almost ridiculous level—like Ralph, he's tall, graceful, handsome, strong, multilingual—two young women almost DROWN because they're so enamored of him that they follow him out for a swim, unaware of the rip current. He of course, being an excellent swimmer, is able to save them.
Catholic Church
A dashingly handsome young priest with a quick tongue. At the start of the story, he has been sent to serve in the Outback as punishment for said quick tongue. Ralph is devoted to his work and feels fulfilled by God, but spends most of his life struggling between his priestly duties and romantic passions for Meggie. Ultimately it is pride and ambition that help get him out of Australia and into the cardinal's robes, but alienating Meggie in the process. He spends the next several decades dropping in on the Clearys and usually causing drama for Meggie when he does.
Tropes:
- Irish Priest
-
Marty Stu: He's tall, handsome (Mary Carson and Meggie aren't the only females who lust after him), strong, multilingual, etc. - May–December Romance: Though still quite young when he meets Meggie, he is 18 years older, and dies while she is still middle-aged.
A mentor and friend to Ralph in Rome. Extremely sly and paternal; seems to know of Ralph's situation before it's ever spoken of. He later becomes a Cardinal.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Never once condemns Ralph regarding his feelings for Meggie and his relationship with her. At one point, he even encourages Ralph to go and see her, either to be with her for good, or to get her out of his system.
Drogheda
Paddy's older sister. Married into serious money and now widowed, she manages Drogheda with an iron fist. She invites Paddy and his family to live on Drogheda at the beginning of the story. An impossibly clever, ruthless planner, she has always been attracted to Ralph and vows to make his life miserable because he cannot return her feelings. Her death, and the way she decides to bequeath her money, sets off most of the story's conflict.
Tropes:
- Abhorrent Admirer: To Ralph. His reaction to her interest in him and her advances is outright described as disgust. When she begs him to kiss her "as if we were lovers", he refuses, citing his priestly vows, but she's knows full well it's because he's repulsed by her old age.
- The Chessmaster: Has her plans for Ralph and her inheritance laid out the second the Clearys set foot in Australia.
- Churchgoing Villain
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Is so in love with Ralph and incensed that he doesn't reciprocate that she's jealous of Meggie even when she's a child, outright stating that the reason she dislikes her is because Ralph does. Then, she amends her will to insure that Ralph is promoted in the church—and separated from Meggie.
- Died on Their Birthday: Mary Carson flat-out declares that she's going to die the night of her 65th birthday, and indeed she does.
- Dirty Old Woman: And really resents the fact that being old makes it not okay anymore.
- Evil Matriarch
- Evil Old Folks
- I Was Quite a Looker
- Jerkass Has a Point: She picks up on the improper undertones of Ralph's relationship with Meggie and calls him out on it. It may only be out of jealousy, but she's still right.
- Light Is Not Good: She is fond of wearing white.
- Non-Action Big Bad: Spends most of her time sitting in a chair.
- Rags to Riches: Grew up in a working-class family, but married the late Michael Carson and inherited a ridiculous fortune upon his death.
- Screw Politeness, I'm a Senior!
