BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Irish Culture Irish-American Princess

...or Irish-xxx Princess. Daughters of the Immigrants, whether first generation, second generation, third, and beyond. We know who we are: of Irish blood. There's something a little different about us, something that sets us apart from the common herd. Let this not be taken amiss---superiority is not the name of the game here; that would be rude---but it's generally clear to others that the Irish-American (or Irish-Australian, or Irish and name-your-country) is still attached in some hard-to-define way to that little island off the western edge of the "Old World."
What do you think? What were the traditions that your ancestors brought with them from "the old country" that still live in your day-to-day being? Do you put the milk in first when you pour a cup of tea? Do you still do First Fridays? Does your blood pressure go up at the first sign of unfairness toward others? Who are you, and how much of that you do you attribute to your Irish antecedents? How much of what you hold dear was handed down from those brave and hardy souls who left home, for whatever reason, and crossed water, wide or narrow: to help out at home, to find their fortunes, to expand their minds <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> , to escape from poverty, to have room to grow...whatever the reason. Did they tell you? (Did you believe them?) Did they all call Ireland "Home" with that same intimate tone of voice that sometimes made you feel that they might someday just up and return? Where did they land? Did they stay at the first port of call?
Please share your thoughts and feelings about this. I'd really like to talk with others who share these memories. There are so many of us and I'm sure we all have stories to tell. What makes an Irish-xxx Princess? :kiss:
Cheers,
Mary Ellen

Oh, I wish I knew more about my ancestors. I don't think my Dad knew much about his side of the family and I don't know if it's because his Dad and Mother never talked much about those back home. I do know my Grandpa had family in County Cork, and I'm lucky to have a few letters from one of his cousins. I was able to track down one of her nieces, but she apparently didn't know anything much either...wrote very pleasant notes about the weather, etc, but never could answer any of my questions. I do know that one time Grandma and Grandpa were going to visit the relatives, and he fell the day they were supposed to go and broke his shoulder, so they never went. I also know they did not stay at their first port of call, but worked their way to the Midwest, but am not sure why...I suppose it had something to do with getting work. What I find interesting is how my blood stirs whenever I hear traditional music. And the first time I visited, I felt that I was "home", and yearn to return. I'll be interested to hear what others have to say!

Hi Jeri:
Physical responses to things like traditional music, a mountain, a well, the smell of a peat fire...these things are priceless. I must have been touched today because about the time I was writing the I-A Princess topic, my Aunt Hannah died. She lived a full, full life of 96 years, but as I think of it now, she was one of the people I described. She left County Donegal at the age of 16, a tender age for sure. I'm sure I will hear a lot of stories this week. May she R.I.P.
Gee, another coincidence.
Listen to those responses and play trad music. Do you meditate? I'm sure that if you let yourself go, you will find out what actually happened. Times were very, very hard in Ireland until just recently actually. People left home young to help with the family finances and some were marked for life by having left too young even though it was what had to be done. It placed a few chips on shoulders.
God bless,
Mary Ellen

I would love to see some 'hands across the waters' here, with the inclusion of remarks from our sisters in Ireland. Any way of reaching them?

Do you mean the chips were on the shoulders of those who came over, or those left behind or both?
I just can't imagine leaving, or sending loved ones off 150+ years ago knowing that you'll never see one another again.
Although my husband, ever the cynic, says in some cases that could be a good thing...which is true for some, I guess.

Well, the chips could be on shoulders either way, but I'm thinking more about the ones who had to leave home. I know more than a few who still resent that they went out to raise themselves on foreign soil and sent back money to help Mammy raise younger ones at home. It had to hurt. In many cases I think it was what contributed to later issues with drink and what have you.
The stories I've heard have often been heartbreaking. Leaving home was so final then, even in the 50s. It seems anyone who made the trip over by ship felt it very final. Now it doesn't have to be, except that the latest batch of emigrants would want to have an awful lot of money to repatriate. The price of ground in Ireland would astound.
The husband is playing devil's advocate---a needed role---of course there were plenty of success stories. The adventure of it all took over for the sadness in some cases, but still, the thriving tourist business is not all about strangers on holiday. It's often families coming together again, often after a long, long time away. I know, I talk to people on the airplanes when I go over.
There will be more, and more varied characters visiting the forum as we keep up our conversations. Don't be shy. Stand up and be heard. We don't bite. Well, that one over there might, but don't worry too much, there'll be no blood drawn.<G>
God bless,
Mary Ellen

It's only recently that people have started to open up in this forum. It was left idle for so long. The best thing we can do is keep being our own provocative selves and they will come. Winter is long and dreary in Ireland...coming out to play on Bella will help to pass the long winter nights. I've sent e-mails to friends and cousins. I'm sure they'll start to show up, especially when "Rosie Dunne" is officially on the shelves.<G>
Best,
Mary Ellen

I'm sitting here with the big snow dominating the scene out my window. Thoughts of the importance of family across cultures flit through my head.

At first I mused on my own strong family connections and the non-existant connection in my husband's German family. My father's family donated the land for the first Catholic church west of the Alleghenies. My aunt took me there for the little church's sesquicentennial almost fifty years ago. There were about five family names in the whole valley, Doyle, O'Donnell, Connell, Starr... That meant of course that we were all related and the welcome was so genuine that I've never forgotten it.

I've noticed that Jewish families have this same closeness, although of course, being a Jew is more an ethnic thing than a nationality. This lead me to wondering if the innate closeness is related to status, with the historically disadvantaged cultures sticking together better.

A toast to sisterhood, from where ever the roots!

Sla'inte!

Family closeness, boy, that's a provocative one. In our family, news travels very fast. It's the sisters. We have telegraph, telephone, and tell Maggie. (God help me if she gets online!) When I was younger, I thought it was just my brothers and sisters, but since "growing up," I see so clearly that even though the humble posted letter was the medium, the Aunties kept each other very well informed, even though they may not see each other once in a dozen years! They never wrote anything that was out of order (that couldn't be printed in the newspaper), but still, somehow, they knew everything that was going on with all of us. I can only attribute what was not written to telepathy.
Let it SNOW!
Mary Ellen

P.S. Say a prayer that Eamonn does well on the high school entrance exam he took today. He said it was easy. My fingers are double-crossed.

I propose an acronym for the Irish-American Princess, IRAP, pronounced I-rap, keeping it alphabetically ahead of the rest of the crowd of Princesses, at least the well-known ones.<G>

Good night,
Mary Ellen