How This All Started - Visiting Sneem with Dad and Beth

So it is June 1977. My father, Beth, and I are touring Ireland. 

We have been to Galway - brief stops in Roundstone and Clifden so Dad could check out some info re his relatives. 

We met Jim Keohane - my grandfather's brother - in Kinsale. And we found out where my grandmother's brother - Jim Moriarty - lived after his father drowned.

Interesting but I am not hooked on family history yet.

So we head to Sneem.

Beth, Mollie Casey, and Dad at Casey's Pub.

When we arrived in Loughane, my father took Larry back to the Blackshop for “messages” which is what the Irish call groceries/errands.  It seemed like they were gone forever – I know they must have had a few pints while they were gone. I ran out of things to say to Lena and Hannah – Uncle Mike was in the hospital in Tralee - so Beth and I went exploring the fields while we waited for Dad and Larry. 

MEM in doorway of old cabin where Ma - my grandmother, Margaret Moriarty - was born. This used to have a thatched roof.  There were huge boulders in front of the house.

Larry, MEM, Hannah, Lena, and Dad in the house in Loughane.

We went back to Waterville that night with Larry to meet his brother Patsy and Patsy's wife Kate - she was from Chicago – Patsy didn’t drink then, but, boy, could Kate put down the whiskeys!! Patsy was quiet, but Kate was a lot of fun. I think Patsy was working at the Waterville Lake Hotel. 

The next night we brought Larry into Sneem. We were heading to the Silver Slipper Dance Hall in Kenmare for a dance after the Sneem pubs closed. That is when we met Johnny Murphy and Patrick Breen – they came to the dance and later drove Beth and me home. 

I enjoyed the short time in Sneem – we had met friendly relatives - and we had a quick taste of the local social life.

We ate at the Sacre Coeur Cafe in Sneem - our waitress here with Beth was Eileen Murphy -  she would be my future mother-in-law!!

MEM and Larry outside old cabin - Larry's father - Mike O'Sullivan - was my grandmother's half-brother.

Another member of the family?!?!? 

Saying goodbye to Lena, Hannah, and Larry.  They used to be crying and almost keening when we would leave - thinking they wouldn't see us again. It was terrible saying goodbye.  I've had a lot of happy times here in Loughane.

By the way, we also visited Uncle Mike in Tralee Hospital – this was just the start of many trips to visit friends, neighbors, relatives in Irish hospitals and nursing homes whenever I would be in Ireland.

Mike Shea's house in Loughane.

Mike Shea was Ma’s neighbor. Ma talked about how her mother, Ellen Leary, would have Ma bring extra milk to the Sheas because they were poorer than Ma’s family. But the house is much bigger than Ma’s.

Mike used to be at the Kerry dances in Watertown and was always interested in whom I met in Sneem and to whom I talked. He would call me and my father whenever we got home. He was the one who told my father to ask in Foley’s Pub about my mother’s uncle Jim Moriarty.

I heard from Larry and Uncle Mike throughout the year. We were invited to my cousin Eileen’s wedding in June of 1978. Here, let Uncle Mike explain...

"Loughane, Sneem 11.5.78  (May 11)

Dear Mary Ellen, My Lovely Girl. Thanks ever so much for your nice letter, we received some time ago. Sorry for delaying this letter so long. We were to give you the right date of Eileen’s Wedding. She is getting married on the 24^th of June. So we are looking forward on seeing you & your girlfriend on the 22^nd or 23^rd. So step on the gas. Uncle Larry is coming. I expect he will be in Loughane on the 22^nd & his wife’s nephew is coming with him. I hope your father & mother are both coming & tell them so. Eileen was home last weekend for 3 days. They will be married in Glengariff Church & the reception will be in   Kenmare Bay Hotel.

"We had a very bad winter & spring here this year. The weather is much improved now & the spring work went late. Larry finished the planting of the potato crop yesterday. How is my fond sister, your grand-mother getting on. Give her our best regards. My son Pat is working in Parknasilla Hotel as waiter. He & Kate got a nice flat outside the village of Sneem. He is only 2 miles from his work. So now to conclude, my lovely girl, giving you & all the family friends our very best regards. Hoping ye are all very well & that our next meeting will be a family reunion. With love from Mike, Mrs, & all the Sullivans in Loughane. Happy days. Cheers.

                   xxx  "

So that June in 1978 my friend GeeGee Rafferty and I packed up and headed to Europe for 2 months! We took a 4 week bus tour of Europe with Julie O’Connell - but GeeGee and I spent time before and after the tour in Ireland – particulary in Sneem – where we went to Eileen’s wedding, met more locals and more relatives, and went to more pubs and more dances.

But more about that coming up ....

GeeGee and MEM at O'Brien's Castle at the Cliffs of Moher.