Just a thought…
May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your
window pane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow
each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be
near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness
o cheer you.
(Author unknown)
Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. That is one of the traits of the Irish; they enjoy sharing: a story, a laugh, a joke, a pint and blarney.
Due to unfortunate life circumstances, I did not know most of my Kelly relatives and was probably more influenced by my Uncle Tom Kelly’s wife, Phyllis, who was Norwegian. I love lefse (which come to think of it is made with potatoes).
I did interact with my Grandpa John S. Kelly a little. He was an intriguing man. He had only an initial for his middle name. He towered over me with his 6’4″ frame. My dad, at 6′ was the shortest of his 9 brothers. His two sisters were 5’10”. Even Grandma Kelly, who died when I was 3 years old, looked like a giant to me.
My Grandpa Kelly had a huge nose, it makes sense, he was a big man. As a little kid, I asked him, why his nose was so big? And without missing a beat he responded, “That’s because I kept it out of other people’s business and let it grow.”
That’s what I remember about the Irish; they always have a quick comeback and a grand sense of humor.
And much like those of you with German from Russia or Norwegian descent, we are very proud of being Irish. In fact, we say that God made the Irish #1. I’m sure that is debatable, but it makes us feel better.
Our ancestors were from the county of Roscommon, which has been described as the midwest of Ireland. I have not yet traveled to Ireland, but it is on my bucket list and I am saving money to go.
Roscommon is the name of both a town and a county. It is one of the least populated counties in Ireland. It appears to be inland on the map of Ireland. It looks fairly rural.
Barta is The Tribune’s editor.