"...to seek and to find the past, a lineage, a history, a family built on a flesh and bone foundation."

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

William Cavenaugh and Mary Brien, 30 Dec 1798: a wedding near year's end

As we prepare to celebrate the dawning of a new year, I cordially invite you to travel back 216 years with me to the wedding of my maternal 4th great-grandparents, William 'Billy' Cavenaugh and Mary Brien. Of course, there are no wedding portraits, no paintings or pencil drawings of the event, nonetheless it is interesting to imagine what their wedding might have been like.

Married in the late 18th Century, the parish register reveals that William and his Mary took the plunge on Sunday 30 December 1798. Christopher Cavenaugh and James Brien stood as their witnesses.1 Who else was present as the couple pledged their lives to one another, I wonder. Were William's parents John Cavenaugh and Allice Howard among the congregation? Did James Brien and Catherine Harford witness the marriage of their daughter Mary?

Born in 1761, William was fourteen years Mary's senior when the couple wed; Mary was born in January of 1775. However, this age difference was not at all unusual in the period, nor was the fact that at the time of the marriage Mary was 'with child'. Their son John was born 21 April 1799, a little less than four months after their wedding.

Given that today is the 216th anniversary of their marriage, what do you imagine might be the appropriate anniversary gift?

From the Donabate Parish Register, 30 December 1798: The marriage entry for William and Mary,
and the baptismal entry for Catherine Luttrel for whom they stood as sponsors.
And the bride wore...

Historically, with respect to the fashion of the day, Mary may have been wearing Regency period clothing (think Jane Austen). To be strictly accurate 'Regency' refers to the period from 1811 to 1820 in Great Britain, of which Ireland was still a part on William and Mary's wedding day. During this period the Prince of Wales ruled as Prince Regent, the proxy for his father, the insane King George III. However, when focusing on the fashion of the day, the term Regency more loosely applies to the period from about 1790 to 1820.2

It is possible that Mary's dress may have been blue, or green, or even pink; however, it is more likely that the dress was fashioned out of fabric in a colour such as brown or burgundy. Unlike the wedding dresses of today that are boxed up for storage like museum pieces, the wedding frocks of women like Mary were recycled, so that she might have worn her dress for many years to come.3 Dark colours were much more practical for a bride like Mary, because such colours would be more suitable for a woman as she went about her daily duties. A darker coloured dress would not show dirt at the hem as readily as one made from a lighter coloured fabric. It is likely that the dress featured minimal embellishment.

The romantic in me likes to imagine Mary wore a beautiful green frock that day, such as the one in the image below; however, since Mary was a very active lady, a darker colour would likely have better suited her needs.

According to the memoirs of Andrew J. Kettle, brother to my 2nd great-grandmother Mary Kettle Fitzpatrick, in addition to being a healer renowned for her medical skill, Mary was very much involved in her family's business, as a messenger and a buyer, and allegedly took part in the procurement of arms in the time leading up to the 1798 uprising.4 Seemingly not the sort of woman who would be running around in a frilly frock.


A good match for two people from well-established families...

According to Kettle's memoir, his grandparents William Cavenaugh and Mary Brien each came from a family who had wealth, so both sides likely viewed the match as a desirable one. Mary Brien's family owned an carman-stage (sometimes written as carmen's stage) of considerable size at Turvey, in north County Dublin. William Cavenaugh's family owned a similar enterprise, but the exact location of it is not mentioned in the memoir.

A carman-stage was an establishment usually found on the outskirts of Irish towns along the turn-pike system of roads in the period.5 Such establishments catered to the needs of 'carmen', that is coachmen and carters who passed through the town delivering people and goods via horse-drawn coaches and carriages. At a carman-stage the travellers could purchase meals and sleeping accommodation for themselves. As well, the carman-stage was outfitted to sell feed and offer accommodation in stables for the horses of their guests. We might think of it as an 18th century version of a Bed and Breakfast, or an inn, with services for horses rather than automobiles.

The happy couple were wed by Reverend Luke Teeling. Was there a reception or any sort of celebration held at one of the family carman-stages? Perhaps, but I have no evidence of such an event. One thing the happy couple did do on their wedding day was stand as godparents. The parish register shows them as baptismal sponsors for a daughter, Catharine, born to Stephen Luttrel and his wife Mary.

A wedding and a baptism all in one day. Sounds like something Jane Austen would have liked. I hope it was a wonderful day for all concerned.

****************

Footnotes:

1. With respect to the witnesses to the marriage, since Mary's father was named James, and she had a brother named James, I can hypothesize that the witness James Brien might be either her father or her brother. Also, since William had a brother named Christopher, the witness Christopher Cavenaugh could be that brother. However, I do not have definitive proof as to the identity of either one of these witnesses to the marriage.

2. Arnold, page 56.

3. Arnold, page 60.

4. Kettle, Chapter 1, pp. 2, 3.

5. Broderick.

References:

Donabate Parish Register: marriages 1761-1805, on microfilm P.6618, The National Library of Ireland, Dublin. Retrieved August 2010.

Arnold, Janet. Patterns of Fashion: Englishwomen's Dresses and their Construction, 1660-1860, MacMillan, United Kingdom, 1989.

Broderick, David. The First Toll Roads: Ireland's Turnpike Roads, 1729-1858. Collins Press, Cork, 2002.

Kettle. L. J., editor. The Material for Victory: Being the memoirs of Andrew J. Kettle C.J. Fallon Ltd., Dublin, 1958.

Thank you to The Graphics Fairy for the Regency dress image.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

If today was your last day on earth...

If you knew that today was to be your last day on earth, what would you regret not having done in terms of your family history research?

I believe it is safe to assume that most of us, if not all, would want to spend our last day on earth surrounded by loving family and friends; however, just for a moment, think about your last day in terms of your family history research.

Is there a letter you have been thinking of writing to an elderly relative, but you keep putting it off? Do it now. Sit down and put pen to paper. Tell that person how much you love your family history, ask your questions, and explain the hows and whys of the family history you're writing.

Is there a thank you note or an email you wanted to send to an archivist or a researcher who helped you along the way? Perhaps you think too much time has passed to send that note. Send it now. Let them know how much you appreciate their help.

Is there a family secret you would like to better understand? Ask your questions now. Be gentle and respectful in asking. Thank the person who shares with you what they know about it. The histories of our families are precious and they deserve respect.

Is there a repository you have avoided going to, because you're worried that your research skills aren't up to snuff? Go to that repository. Go, and ask for help. Archives, libraries and other repositories are staffed with people who love family history as much as you do, and understand how important it is to document the details of that history. The vast majority of them are more than willing to help.

Is there a trip you've been thinking about, and talking about, for years? Perhaps a trip to your family's homeland? Plan it today. Save for it today. It is possible for you to go. Think about the idea of cutting your cloth according to your measure. You may have to give up some things to make the trip a reality, but it will be worth the sacrifice.

To the family about whom you've been writing your history:

Thank them today.

Tell someone you love them today.

Tell someone you forgive them today.

Not a single one of us is promised tomorrow.

So...

If you knew today was to be your last day on earth, what would you do?

Just do it.


©irisheyesjgg2014.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Wordless Wednesday, almost: 'Angels heard on high'



Please enjoy 'Angels heard on High’: Angels atop monuments, images of which I have shot over the years in the cemeteries of Mount Jerome and Glasnevin in Dublin, Ireland. They are set to the sounds of the Christendom College Choir singing the traditional Christmas carol, 'Angels We Have Heard On High'.

May you and yours enjoy all the blessings of the holiday season!


Copyright©irisheyesjg2007-2014.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Mystery Monday: The Case of the Ordination Cards


Back in 2012, I made mention of these ordination cards that I came across while sorting through my mother's personal effects. Within the pages of one of my mom's prayer books, I found these two cards. Each one commemorates the ordination of a man into the Roman Catholic priesthood in Dublin, Ireland. 

The first card is for John J. Murphy, whose ordination took place at St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral on 14 June 1924. He celebrated his very first mass the following day. The second is for James H. Flood, who was ordained on 11 June 1927, with his first mass also celebrated the day after his ordination.

Although my family history research has led me to uncover the ordinations of men into the priesthood on my father's side of the family, to this date I have not yet uncovered any evidence of a priest, or priests, on my maternal family tree. So, the discovery of these curious little cards left me with a number of questions.

The first aspect of the cards which gives me pause to wonder is the names of the ordained. To this point in time neither the surname 'Murphy' nor the surname 'Flood' has revealed itself in a blood connection within our family. Who were these men? Are they connected to my family tree? If so, to whom are they connected?

The second detail on the cards which elicits questions is the dates. Both of these events took place years before the birth of my mother. My mother was born in 1931, and these cards date to 1924 and 1927 respectively. Since these events took place before her birth, why were the cards in my mother's principal prayer book? Also, how did my mom come to have them, and who had the cards before her?

The more ornate of the two cards is the one pictured above, which commemorates the ordination of John J. Murphy. The image is more colourful, is replete with Catholic symbols, and bears raised embellishments on the corners. The information on the back of the card indicates that the ordination is to take place at the Pro-Cathedral, the acting Cathedral for the Roman Catholic Church in Dublin, Ireland. Although the second card does not indicate the site of ordination, the ceremony for James H. Flood would also have taken place at the Pro-Cathedral, since this is the church of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin.


In my opinion, the differences in the quality of the cards and their embellishment may reveal a couple of things about the men for whom the cards were created. Consideration of these elements leads to more questions. Such cards would have been ordered and paid for by the family of a man being ordained, or by the man himself, thus the phrase 'my ordination'. The ornate card would have been more expensive to produce, so does the card for John J. Murphy imply some wealth in his family? The card for James H. Flood is black and white, and very simple. Is this indicative of his family's standing, or is it simply an overt expression of his vow to poverty?

It could be the case that each one of these cards is simply a souvenir that was picked up by a member of my mother's family, perhaps her mother or father, when they attended the ordination ceremonies of the priests in question. As members of a Roman Catholic congregation, as long as there was room in the Cathedral, they would have been allowed to attend the ordination, whether or not they were related to the man being ordained. However, it strikes me as curious that the cards were kept for such a long period of time if neither of these men were connected to our family.

There is a possibility that the cards were kept, not because of a connection to those being ordained, but because of a relationship with the Archbishop who ordained them. Early in his career as a priest, the Most Reverend Archbishop Dr. Edward Byrne, then simply known as Father Byrne, served in Rolestown, North County Dublin. He served as parish priest in the church in which Alice Fitzpatrick Ward — grand-aunt and guardian of my mother Mary and her siblings — was baptized and later married. Alice was a long standing and generous patron of the church, so perhaps she maintained a relationship with Father Byrne over the course of his career. Thus, the cards may have belonged to Alice, and they may have been given to my mother upon Alice's death.

Although it remains unsolved, and the case of ordination cards has led to many more questions than answers, I still do love a good mystery.

Copyright©irisheyesjg2014.
Click on images to view larger version.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Tuesday's Tip: Was one of your ancestors admitted to The King's Inns?

Symbols of the old Empire remain atop the Henrietta Street entrance:
 The Royal Coat of Arms of the UK with its Lion and Unicorn.
Notice the Harp of Erin in the lower left quadrant of the shield.
The King's Inns from the perspective of the green space on Constitution Hill.
Is there an Irish barrister somewhere on your family tree? Was one of your ancestors an attorney or an attorney's apprentice? Was he granted admission to study at The Honorable Society of King's Inns — popularly known as The King's Inns — in Dublin, Ireland? If so, then you may want to take a look at the King’s Inns Admission Papers 1607–1867 which can be found on the Irish Manuscripts Collection [IMC] website.

Founded in 1581, during the reign of Henry VIII, the King's Inns is Ireland's oldest institution for legal education. You can read all about its history on its website here. The admission papers bear a wealth of information of genealogical import about some of the students admitted during the period from the early 17th century through to the mid 19th century.

The memorials — i.e. formal petitions for admission — submitted by those wishing to study at The King's Inns include not only the individual student's name but also his father's name, his father's occupation and place of residence, and usually his mother's maiden name. Each memorial also makes reference to the petitioner's age, with some including his birth date.

The prospective student had to state whether or not he was, or had been, employed in a trade, profession or business of any kind. If he was admitted, then he had to give up other employment, and the details of such employment are included in the memorials of those to whom this applies. Also included in some of the memorials is the name, relationship and profession of the person(s) who submitted an affidavit attesting to the veracity of that particular student's petition.

The type and quality of admissions papers differs depending on whether an applicant was applying for a course of study as a law student, or as a barrister, or as an attorney or an attorney's apprentice. Each of these is explained in the introductory pages of the Admissions Papers manuscript. Also, you will notice there is a 'shorthand' used in the entries. Full details of the abbreviations used in the transcriptions are included in the introductory pages.

Here are an example of the kind of transcription with abbreviations you will find in the manuscript:

FITZPATRICK, Peter, 3rd s. of Peter, Dublin, attorney, decd., and Margaret Meehan; over 16; ed. Dublin; afft. James, attorney, brother. T 1833.

Here are the details fully written out:

Peter Fitzpatrick is the third born son of Peter Fitzpatrick [Sr.] of Dublin and his wife Margaret Meehan. Peter Fitzpatrick [Sr.] was an attorney and is deceased. 

The petitioner Peter Fitzpatrick is over the age of 16 years and was educated in Dublin. An affidavit in support of his petition has been submitted by his brother James who is an attorney. Peter was granted admission to study in the Trinity term of 1833.

(H = Hilary Term: January to March; T = Trinity Term: April to June, also sometimes recorded as E = Easter Term: from the Easter holiday to the end of June; M = Michaelmas Term: Sept to Christmas)

In May of 2012 I first mentioned the IMC website as a good online repository for a number of sources you may have overlooked. Since then the commission has been hard at work digitizing and posting online many more sources which you may find useful in your search for information about your ancestors and relatives. Be sure to revisit my Tuesday's Tips post from 2012 for more information about other manuscripts of genealogical import which are available via the IMC website.

Happy Researching!

The inner courtyard of the building.
The approach to the King's Inns entrance down the cobbled roadway of Henrietta Street.
©irisheyesjg2014.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Lest We Forget: Island of Ireland Peace Park, Messines, Belgium


The standing stone bearing the names of every county in Ireland,
symbolically streamed together in one single line.
"In a matter of seconds a hissing and shrieking pandemonium broke loose.
The sky was splashed with light.
Rockets, green, yellow and red, darted in all directions,
and simultaneously a cyclone of bursting shells enveloped us."
— from a letter written home by J.F.B O'Sullivan, 6th Connaught Rangers.
"Spent all night trying to console, aid and remove the wounded.
It was ghastly to see them lying there in the cold
cheerless outhouses, on bare stretchers,
with no blankets to cover their freezing limbs."
— from a letter written home by Chaplain Francis Gleeson, Royal Munster Fusiliers.
"So the curtain fell over that tortured country
of unmarked graves and unburied fragments of men.
Murder and massacre, the innocent slaughtered for the guilty,
the poor man for the sake of the greed of the already rich,
the man of no authority made the victim of the man
who had gathered importance and wished to keep it."
— from a letter written home by David Starret, 9th Royal Irish Rifles.
36th Ulster Division: 32,186 killed, wounded, missing.
16th Irish Division: 28,398 killed, wounded, missing.
10th Irish Division: 9,363 killed, wounded, missing.
The Round Tower and the nine stone tablets from another perspective.


See also: 'The big guns are coughing...': Commemorating Irish lost in World War One

©irisheyesjg2014.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Wordless Wednesday, almost: As Autumn comes to Dublin City...

Along the paths of Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park, Dublin.
The pumpkin patch in the Farmleigh House gardens.
As Autumn comes to Dublin City, the changes the season brings always get me thinking about my ancestors and what their lives may have been like as one season moved into another. As the cooler weather of Autumn draws down over Dublin, I think about those who would have been bringing in the last of the harvest, while others might have been buffeting their cottages against the bitter winds which the coming winter would bring in from the sea.

In the streets of the metropolis Dublin, I imagine the long skirts of female ancestors sweeping through fallen leaves along the footpaths, and picture the gentlemen's hats being whipped by the wind. The clatter of an ancestor's carriage wheels rolling over damp cobblestone roads plays in my mind, while the scent of burning wood catches my nose, as I envision a scriber ancestor etching words into the side of a Jameson whiskey barrel.

In Phoenix Park with the Wellington Monument peeking through the ever changing leaves of the trees.
©irisheyesjg2014.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Wordless Wednesday, not quite: Canal Bank Walk

Canal Bank Walk

Leafy-with-love banks and the green waters of the canal
Pouring redemption for me, that I do
The will of God, wallow in the habitual, the banal,
Grow with nature again as before I grew.
The bright stick trapped, the breeze adding a third
Party to the couple kissing on an old seat,
And a bird gathering materials for the nest for the Word
Eloquently new and abandoned to its delirious beat.
O unworn world enrapture me, encapture me in a web
Of fabulous grass and eternal voices by a beech,
Feed the gaping need of my senses, give me ad lib
To pray unselfconsciously with overflowing speech
For this soul needs to be honoured with a new dress woven
From green and blue things and arguments that cannot be proven.

                                                                       — Patrick Kavanagh

John Coll's bronze sculpture of the poet Patrick Kavanagh seated at the side of the canal he loved,
Mespil Road, Dublin.
©irisheyesjg2014.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Press Release from Find My Past: 12,000 new Irish records

This morning I received the following press release from FindMyPast. It will be of special interest to those with Irish family roots in the counties of Donegal, Fermanagh, Tyrone or Wicklow. FindMyPast is a paid site which can be searched for free. Viewing of records is available via either pay-per-view or by paid membership.



*************************************
 Press Release:

Findmypast launches over 12,000 new Irish records the second instalment of their new Findmypast Fridays

We are proud to announce the launch of our first ever Findmypast Friday!

Every Friday from now on, we will be bringing you thousands of new records to explore over the weekend on our dedicated Findmypast Friday page. We promise to bring you new, and often exclusive, record sets every single week.

This week’s Findmypast Friday, we’re excited to release a new collection of Irish parish and cemetery records.

If you have family from the Irish counties of Donegal, Fermanagh, Tyrone or Wicklow, these records will be of particular interest.

Compiled by genealogist, author and professor of history, Dr. David R. Elliott, the new Irish records collection includes a variety of parish registers from County Fermanagh as well as cemetery records for Donegal, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Wicklow.

The Fermanagh parish registers feature transcripts of baptisms, burials and marriages in the county and span the years 1796-1875. You’ll uncover great detail on your Fermanagh ancestors in these records including parents’ names, where they lived and sometimes even occupations.

The collection of cemetery records dates as far back as 1669 and features detailed transcripts as well as exquisite full colour images of gravestones around Ireland so you can see exactly where your relatives are buried. You’ll find over 12,000 cemetery records from Donegal, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Wicklow.

Cliona Weldon of Findmypast Ireland said; “We are very excited to be adding such rich records to Findmypast, the largest online database of Irish Family history records.  We’re proud to be able to assist in building Ireland’s family tree, giving family historians fantastic opportunities to learn more about their ancestors and perhaps discover some new ones.  We are committed to providing a variety of record sets every single week to ensure that customers can see their family trees grow.” 

The new records offered include:

Fermanagh Parish Registers Baptisms 1796-1873

Fermanagh Parish Registers Marriages 1800-1875

Fermanagh Parish Registers Burials 1801-1874

Donegal Cemetery Records 1737-2011

Fermanagh Cemetery Records 1669-2011

Wicklow Cemetery Records 1831-2008

Tyrone Cemetery Records 1698-2011


Thursday, September 11, 2014

Travel Thursday: At Maynooth, the National Seminary for Ireland

St. Mary's Church, across from the archway as I prepare to enter the grounds.
Located about twenty-five kilometres (15 miles) south of Dublin City, in the village of Maynooth, County Kildare, is the National Seminary for Ireland. Called Maynooth College and/or St. Patrick's College, the school was officially established as the Royal College of St. Patrick in 1795. It was here that my paternal grandfather's brother Michael was educated, taking the vows of the priesthood in 1918.

At the age of eighteen, Michael Joseph Geraghty began his religious education 29 September 1911, in the First University class of the seminary at Holy Cross College, Clonliffe. Leaving Holy Cross College, he was sent to complete his degree at the prestigious seminary of St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

Here, on 28 April 1918, at the age of 25 years, he was ordained Father Michael Joseph Geraghty by Bishop Patrick Morrisroe.

Through the archway on to the grounds.
Father Geraghty served in eight separate appointments for the Catholic church in the diocese of Dublin. In 1969 he was, in the words of the church, 'created a canon'. The last parish church at which Father Michael served is Our Lady of Dolours in Glasnevin. Very Reverend Michael Canon Geraghty died at Glasnevin on his 81st birthday, 3 May 1974 and is interred in the Prospect Cemetery at Glasnevin, Dublin.

Through the little door in the door,
my curiosity led me to follow someone inside.
At the age of thirteen, I first set eyes on St. Patrick's College at Maynooth, and it was mightily intimidating. Perhaps my discomfort was sparked by memories of family stories which characterize the Very Reverend Michael Canon Geraghty as disapproving, even spiteful (see A Saint and A Sinner: The lives of two brothers). My imagination created a picture of him raining down fire and brimstone upon his congregation, flailing arms, booming voice and all.

Perhaps it was my own childhood experiences of raging priests, but whatever the reason, fear of Father Michael created trepidation about visiting the place at which he was educated. Thankfully, the passage of time now makes St. Patrick's College at Maynooth appear only tranquil and beautiful rather than frightening. The buildings and grounds are deeply quiet and inspire contemplation, and it is tempting to imagine what life might have been like here for my granduncle.

Truth be told, I still feel slightly uneasy at the place. It didn't help that on the Sunday of this visit there was a deep grumbling within the clouds of the chalky grey sky; and, when I explained to the woman in the office that my granduncle had attended seminary school at Maynooth she was less than welcoming.

The halls which overlook the inner green space are lined with portraits of priests and bishops down through the ages.
I searched through them for an image of my grandfather's brother, Michael Canon Geraghty.
Another hall of portraits, and no sign of the Very Reverend Geraghty.
At the back of the college, the entrance to the church.
Another rear view.
At the back of the college, a path through this enormous green leads to a gate which leads into a special space (see below).
This beautiful 'cathedral' of trees leads to the small cemetery used for the burial of clergy.
To view photographs I shot in 2012 which show the small cemetery at the end of this walk,
visit my cemetery blog, 'Over thy dead body'.
(*Click on images to view larger versions.)
©irisheyesjg2014.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Mother's Rings

They were still there, upon her finger, when her life's days came to an end. They were destined to come to me via the terms of her will, but I find I cannot bear to put either one on my finger. Doing so only reminds of the fact that these precious rings — my mother's rings which were given to her by the love of her life — will never again be worn upon her finger, the only place for which they were ever intended.

Each ring now seems so very delicate, as though it might dissolve within my fingers, but perhaps it is only the passages of life that make them seem that way. Her wedding band was crafted in a hexagon shape when she first wore it upon her finger, and although the years have softened the corners of the band, the shape is still there. 

There were only a few occasions in the year when both rings were not together on her finger. In the springtime my mother would give the house a thorough cleaning, so her engagement ring would be taken off and put away to ensure the stones would not be damaged. Just before Christmas each year she would do the same. On her very last day when my mother was in the hospital, in the early morning, a nurse instructed me to remove both rings from my mom's finger, and take them home for safe keeping, but I refused, saying the rings were where they were meant to be.

At the funeral home, after our last goodbyes and just before he closed the casket, the funeral director removed the rings from my mam's finger. He put them into a small red velvet pouch and handed them to me. In a reassuring voice he told me that the rings had very easily slipped from her finger. In exactly that moment finally I understood that my mother was truly gone, and I knew with certainty that Mam was with Dad in that heavenly place where such markers of earthly life are of no consequence.

In loving memory of our mother Mary on this day, the second anniversary of her death.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Remembering the Emigrant Irish

When I look out over the Cliffs of Moher, one of my favourite places on this earth, I think about how difficult it must have been for those forced to leave such a place of beauty, the land of their ancestors, and I am very grateful that none of my ancestors were forced to make such a decision.

What is it that those bound to emigrate away from Ireland thought about as they looked out over the sea? What was in their hearts? What kind of life did they hope would be waiting for them away from Ireland's shores? As we view these images and read the poem, 'The Emigrant Irish' by Eavan Boland, we have the opportunity to take a moment to contemplate what many Irish had to face, and we can be grateful for every wonderful moment given to us on this earth.


'The Emigrant Irish'

Like oil lamps, we put them out the back——

of our houses, of our minds. We had lights
better than, newer than and then

a time came, this time and now
we need them. Their dread, makeshift example:

they would have thrived on our necessities.
What they survived we could not even live.
By their lights now it is time to
imagine how they stood there, what they stood with,
that their possessions may become our power:

Cardboard. Iron. Their hardships parceled in them.
Patience. Fortitude. Long-suffering
in the bruise-colored dusk of the New World.

And all the old songs. And nothing to lose.

Copyright ©1990 by Eavan Boland from Outside History


©irisheyesjg2014.
(This post originally appeared in 2012)
Click on photographs to view larger version.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Sepia Saturday #219: Within this plain facade...

Viewing the simple exterior of the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra on Francis Street in the Liberties area of Dublin City, Ireland, you would never imagine its interior would hold such an array of beautiful colour, texture, and light, in the architecture and iconography.

According to church history, there has been a place of worship on this site since the 11th century, and the original church was built in 1265. The building of the church in its present incarnation began in 1829. It was opened in 1834 and dedicated in 1835. In addition, extant church registers hold all baptismal records for Catholics born at the original site of the Coombe Hospital between 1783 and 1967, as well as some baptismal records for children born on the Isle of Man.

For more information about the church, visit their website via this link The Church of St. Nicholas of Myra. For full information about acquiring records and about how to access a small number of password protected transcribed records, which are available for online viewing, visit this link.










Thanks to Wendy Mathias for the inspiration image for today's post. Be sure to stop by the Sepia Saturday blog to see how others have interpreted this theme, and perhaps you will be inspired too.


©irisheyesjg2014.
Click on images to view larger versions.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Between the pages in a prayer book...


In addition to the prayer cards, In Memoriam cards, and numerous obituaries my mother kept between the pages of her prayer books, I found this news clipping. It was folded up very small and tucked into the very centre of a prayer book.

The article is from the Irish Press, dated 5 July 1951, and entitled 'They Become Blue Sisters'.  The clipping details in images the ceremony of receiving the habit of congregation, which joined these young woman, as nuns, to the community of the Little Company of Mary, popularly known as the Blue Nuns. The ceremony took place in Rome, Italy. The image in the bottom right, with the nuns in full habit, was taken in the garden of the Mother House, Via San Stefano Rotundo, Rome.

When I first found the clipping I had no idea why my mam had kept it. My mother had celebrated her 20th birthday in May of 1951, so I wondered if she was connected to one of the young women in the photograph. When perusing the names, I noticed two from Dublin, and wondered, had my mam known either of these two women, or any of the other women in the picture, and thus kept the clipping as a remembrance of this special time?

Founded in 1877 by the Venerable Mary Potter, whose own mother Mary Martin was Irish born, the Blue Sisters' first community was in Nottingham, England. The vocation of the Blue Sisters is the nursing of the sick and the dying. The name 'Blue Sisters' finds its origins in the fact that the veil of their original traditional habit — tunic, veil and wimple — was blue. The article gives a list of the branches of nursing for which nuns were qualified, as follows:

All the Sisters study for the State Qualification in the various countries in which their hospitals are established, and all branches of nursing are included: General, maternity, mental, public health, infant welfare, mothercraft, etc. The Sisters are also trained in X-ray, pathology, occupational therapy and bookkeeping.

By 1951, when this article was published, the order had five convents in Ireland — Limerick, Fermoy, Abbeyleix, Carlow and Dublin — as well as foundations in Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, South America, the United States, South Africa, Rhodesia, and Malta.

A couple of days after I found the clipping, I did a little research to find the Mother House of the Little Company of Mary in Ireland. After locating their address, I sent an email, along with a copy of the clipping, and asked if it could be passed along to anyone featured in the article who might still be connected to the community. After the passage of so many years, I wondered if seeing the clipping might spark memories in those who viewed it, and in particular any recollections of my mother. Whether or not I could make a connection, I imagined seeing the article might evoke happy memories for someone.

A little while later, I received a lovely email from the Mother House sending me blessings, thanking me for the clipping, and saying they would pass it along. A few days after that I received another message. This message is from one of the nuns in the images. In part it reads:

Dear Jennifer,

Firstly I would like to start by offering you my very sincere sympathy on the death of your beloved mother, may her gentle soul rest in peace.

Unfortunately Jennifer I did not have the pleasure of knowing your dear mother, at least not to my knowledge unless I had dealings with her on the medical field as I was a nurse in my younger days. I feel she must have been a very special Lady and the fact that she kept the pictures in her prayer book she no doubt said the occasional prayer for all of us which I am deeply grateful for, as it would have helped me in my vocation.

I was so excited on receiving the pictures as they brought back many happy memories of the various stages of my noviciate days!

My sincere thanks Jennifer for the trouble you went to and for the pleasure you gave me.
God Bless

Although Sister did not know my mam, her reply completely uplifted me, for which I am very grateful. Perhaps I will never discover exactly why my mam kept this article, but I am very glad she did.

Maybe there is someone else out there for whom these names and images will be meaningful. Perhaps one of your family members is among them. Here are the names and place of origin for those included in the photographs, along with their religious name:

Collette White (Liverpool): Sister Collette White
Mary Butler (Kilcommon, Thurles, [Tipperary]): Sister Agatha Butler
Kathleen Fleming (Edinburgh): Sister Catherine Fleming
Nora Fitzgerald (Killarney): Sister Gabriel Fitzgerald

Noreen Fitzgibbon (incorrectly identified as from Dublin; actually from Limerick): Sister Michael Fitzgibbon
Carmel Kidd (Dublin): Sister de Montfort Kidd
Maria [no surname given] (Rome): Sister Maria Goretti

Two other women are included in the image on the bottom right of the article. They are:

Sister Fidelis Mullins (near Gort [Galway])
Sister Antoinette (Argentina)

Below I have posted the article in parts, so that you might get a better view. As always, click on the images to view a larger version.

Are there any Blue Sisters on your family tree?




©irisheyesjg2014.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...