Family 7/15/23

Today is a day Stacey and I will always remember. We stepped out of our introverted nature a bit in the name of family, and for that we were rewarded immensely.
After breakfast we started on our 20 minute drive to Curraghboy. I knew that Grandma had gone to church there at St. Brigid’s, and I hoped to get inside. Ryan and Melissa had been there during their visit and told us there was a plaque on one of the pews honoring Grandma’s parents, Martin and Mary Green. We found St. Brigid’s easily, and after trying a few locked doors, we found an open one and went in quietly. It was beautiful inside and we quickly found the pew and the plaque. We lit a candle for Grandma and for Mom before saying a prayer and leaving.
I wanted to see the house where Grandma grew up, but had no idea how to find it. As we left the church, I noticed a small convenience store next door that was open. I walked in and found a woman maybe a few years older than me behind the counter. I told her who I was and that I was hoping to find the house my Grandma, Margaret Green, grew up in. She said apologetically that she had “married into this town” and was unfamiliar with the name. An idea popped into her head and she told me I should try to get ahold of a Willie Gacquin. He is a Deacon at St. Brigid’s, and a bit of a local historian. She gave me his phone number and I thanked her and left. I got in the car and told Stacey I wanted to at least try. I called and got his voicemail, left my name and number and thought we’d drive around a bit. Willie called back two minutes later. He said he wanted to be sure I wasn’t “some fool from India trying to sell me something I don’t need.” He invited us over and gave me directions to his house a mile up the road. We pulled up and he waved us inside. Willie was a character and genuinely enjoyed our company and our interest in family roots. I showed him a copy of Grandma’s birth record and he instantly said he knew the family. He went back into another room and came back with some documents. After thumbing through them, he showed us a copy of the handwritten entry noting Grandma’s baptism at St. Brigid’s in October 1903! It even included the names of the Godparents. Willie said the names made perfect sense, as they were the Green’s neighbors. At this point, Willie’s wife Carmel came in with a tray of tea and pound cake for all of us. Both Stacey and I almost cried. Carmel joined us and we talked for over an hour. I asked Willie if he knew where the house was that Grandma grew up in. He assured me he did, saying it was “up in Curnagee near Brideswell”. This made sense, as Curnagee was listed as her place of birth on the birth registry. I asked Willie for directions and he offered to do one better. Willie knows a man that lives close to that house, a Martin Dolan. He called Martin and asked if he would mind showing us the house. Martin happily agreed and told us to “come on over!”
We pulled up in front of Martin’s house 10 minutes later, and he waved us in. Martin shared a few stories about the Green family with us and told us that “of course, we knew your Grandma as Peg!” Yes indeed!! He jumped in our car with us to get out of the rain and brought us to Grandma’s childhood home. Martin knew her nephew, who lived in the house for many years, quite well. He reminisced about playing in the fields and told us with a proud smile “we were happy as Larry, with plenty to eat back then!” Martin remembered the house before an addition was built, when it had a thatched roof. The featured photo today is a selfie in front of Grandma’s house on our walk with Martin this afternoon. He walked us around and shared more stories before we dropped him at home and said our goodbyes.

I’m so incredibly thankful to Willie, and Carmel, and Martin. They made more than just our day. I won’t soon forget their kindness, their hospitality, and their deep appreciation for what we were looking for in the heart of Ireland today.