Anyway, I've decided to try to post regularly, even if I don't have much to say. Lately I have felt that I don't have enough time to do everything (or anything). My house has become chaotic again and everything seems more or less out of control. It's baffling, because there's no apparent reason.
It's safe to say that whirlingbetty is in a state of lack of clarity.
For now, I will write about my Irish ancestors. An ex-boyfriend is now visiting Ireland, and although we had been out of contact for over a year, I suddenly called him and left a message out of the blue last week. In response, he sent me an email, saying he had just decided that day to call me, and right after that he checked his stateside messages and found out I had just called him. He is now in the land of my ancestors - the exact part of Ireland, the desolate, lonely, hauntingly beautiful northern Atlantic coast, from which my dear Gram emigrated as a teenager.
This is what I wrote to the ex-boyfriend:
You are near where my relatives, the Conways (originally from Normandy) who lived in Co. Sligo, Mayo and Donegal. I believe they owned land in Mayo. My great-grandmother was Mary O'Donnell Conway (born in Co. Mayo and married to John Conway). There is a big tombstone in Carrownteane Cemetary, in the village of the same name, in the township of Dromard, Co. Sligo. My great-grandmother is buried there along with her son Anthony. She died of a broken heart the day after he died of stomach cancer. Let me know if you happen upon their tombstone which my gram helped pay for even though she had emigrated.
Someday I must visit that place. I can see it vividly in my mind; it seems to be part of my nature. I wish Gram had been able to talk about it. Although she was very open about everything else (we even shared Playgirl magazines when I was a teen) she would not talk about Ireland.
Why?
1 comment:
I'm sorry you've lost a blog friend. I always hate to see someone leave the ranks. But on the other hand, I'm always glad to see a new post from you. :)
I have Irish in my blood, too. Well, Irish or Scots or Scots-Irish, who knows. I was always told my paternal grandmother was Irish, yet all the historical notations I find in the genealogy are from Scotland and England. Of course, Irish can live anywhere, I know, but it would be so nice to be certain. It wouldn't change anything, but I'd just like to know. All that gobbledy-gook said, I'd love to see Ireland and Scotland, too. Maybe one day?
Interesting that your grandmother wouldn't talk about it. Something painful .... either an event or perhaps her grieving her home?
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