Happy St Patrick's Day! I got up and put the corned beef in the crock pot. I will have to remember to turn ON the pot before I leave for work, but I have been thinking this morning about all things Irish, including me.
I am the descendant of James McCue and Margaret Ward McCue, who came to this country from County Caven around the turn of the Century. This means that my people survived the Famine in Ireland somehow. James was born in Scotland ( I suspect his mother was Scot and she went home to have her first baby among her people) He either worked for or was fostered to the Ward family and fell in love with Margaret. He came to America under rather murky circumstances and Margaret followed soon after. They were married in Pennsylvania, where they had 18- yes ONE - EIGHT- children, including three sets of twins. HE must have been in the Sein Fenn or something, because at one point, someone came to Margaret and threatened her that if she didn't sign over the family farm to this person, he would make trouble. James was gone somewhere ( I never did find out just WHERE) so she did it. When James returned ( I was told he was gone for two years, which makes their proliferation even MORE telling), he got the farm back. She died at 42, he lived a bit longer. He always used to tell my dad, his grandson that "If Ireland were so bloody good, we'd still be there ( my dad would put on his Irish brogue, so the last word came out as "Thar") and "The only time I would return would to be to shoulder musket against the Brit" No wonder his daughter who was my grandmother and my other grandmother, who was of Scot-English descent never got along.
I think I got my stubborn gene from them , but also my storytelling gene and some of my fierceness from them. I always warn people "don't piss me off, it's not pretty." I have a slow temper these days, but when I "get my Irish up" LOOK OUT!
So today I will listen to one of my favorite Irish- American bands "The Young Dubliners" and eat and American version of an Irish dish. Did you know that corned beef was used to substitute for bacon in the icky "Bubble and Squeak"? Neither did I, although I always knew that beef is NOT something in high supply in Ireland. It's more lamb than beef. Sheep are the livestock, not cattle. Irish Stew is a lamb stew. I will also be "raising the wrist" with a wee dram ( or two, it IS Friday) of Bushmill's, my favorite Irish whiskey. Sláinte mhaith!
Well, somehow I just KNEW there would be an Irish blog today from you! GOOD! I only have the Kelly cousins from my maternal grandmother, and recently discovered there is a great-great grandmother, Bridget O'Shaughnessey, who apparently married my great-grandfather Nallen, literally right off the boat - a mail order bride? An arranged marriage? We don't know, but they went to the first Catholic church nearest the docks and tied the knot. I remember my cousin Margaret Kelly, she lived until the early 60's - I remember going to her funeral with my mother and my aunt Grace - she was a real bitch I hear. Right there if the chips were down, but otherwise, nasty. She is buried right next to my grandmother. And there was quite the tussle with her nieces about the stone. Still not there. But anyway, I am using a green cocktail napkin with my coffee this morning, planning a GREEN GREEN outfit (including green shoes!0 for work, and then off to a dinner tonight, but because it is Friday and Lent, fish and chips, instead of corned beef (but never fear, there is one for tomorrow - Saint Bridget's Day!) I have failed, in that I didn't get out the Belleek Paddy's Pig figurine, but there is still time.
ReplyDeleteHappy saint Ptrick's Day to us all! We need a chance to celebrate something right now!
Tommy O'Johnson