Celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day

For the millions of Americans of Irish ancestry, St. Patrick’s Day is more than just an occasion to drink ourselves silly and watch a parade. It’s a day to remember the traditions of our ancestors’ homeland and the stories of how and why they came to America.
In 1902 my great-grandfather Thomas boarded a shipping vessel in Ireland. A poor fisherman in Ireland, he hoped for more opportunity in America. He sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, down around the southernmost tip of South America and then north to San Francisco, a journey that would have taken many months. Thomas never saw his homeland or his family again.

In 1927, a fierce and unexpected storm blew up near Cleggan, a tiny fishing village on the western coast of Ireland. In one afternoon, the storm killed twenty-five local fishermen, including Thomas’ three half-brothers, Mark, Martin and George. On that day, my family’s existence in Ireland ended. Thomas’ American descendants are all that remain of the family line.

Although I am also English, Dutch and French by descent, I was raised to feel almost entirely Irish. My grandparents and parents passed along Irish songs and folktales which instilled in me a great love for a place that I’d never lived, never even seen. I grew up thinking of Rossadilisk, the small town where my family had lived for generations in Ireland; the town that had been abandoned after that devastating storm off Cleggan. How lucky I am that my great-grandfather sailed away to America before the ocean could claim him, as well. I’ve always felt a deep need to see his home; to return to the place where he was raised and that he so willingly abandoned in the hope of a better life. In May, I am finally taking my dream trip to Ireland. The first stop on my trip will be Rossadilisk. I can’t imagine how it will feel to finally stand in the place that has been a part of my heart, and my family’s history, for so long, but I’m thrilled to know that the moment is finally near.

On this St. Patrick’s Day, I will think of Thomas and be thankful that he chose to come to America and raise his family here. I’ll also be thankful that he passed along a love of Ireland to his children and grandchildren, so that we might never forget where we come from. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you!