THE IRISH CAME TO AMERIKAY

A series of essays.....

GREAT FAMINE NATIONAL MONUMENT IN MURRISK, IRELAND

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Who knew that having coffee with a good friend last week and spending nearly three hours reflecting upon our various travels throughout Europe would lead me to Orchard Street in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York, New York. But, it did. I am most grateful. And, here is my story.....

I have always been fascinated by other cultures, history, Romance languages, and, most recently, the unique preservation of time via time and space itself. Egyptian pharaohs mummified in magnificent pyramidal tombs. The deterioration of artifacts being hindered or slowed within the wet, spongy ground of a peat bog. A dust laden Parisian apartment locked-up and untouched since the World War Two era. A beautiful stone church abandoned by its human parishioners only to be embraced by surrounding nature, one tendril at a time.

Wondering what the spirits inhabiting these special places would say to me, I have admittedly taken it upon myself to supply words to their personal stories....upon occasion, through my writing. They have become as real as old and dear friends watching over me long into the night. I am reminded of several black and white movies I cherished as a child which included Constance Bennett and Cary Grant in "Topper" and "The Canterville Ghost" starring Charles Laughton. They were movies with friendly spirits who have long held my attention and encouraged me to watch them over and over again.

My story leads me to a 'spirit filled' and wonderfully preserved spot located in Manhattan entitled 'The Lower East Side Tenement Museum' which is a National Historic Site managed by the National Park Service.

However, before I take you into the museum, let me tell you how I got there in the first place.

Our conversation over coffee in Kalamazoo last week brought Michael and me to the conclusion that our travels in France and Ireland have greatly influenced who we are today. As self-professed Francophiles, we reasoned that the pull of France and French culture influenced both of us at an early age. The irresistible attraction of its culture, beauty, history, and refinement builds to an even greater crescendo with each subsequent visit to France.

THE SUN BEGINNING TO SHIMMER OFF OF
THE ATLANTIC~~TAKEN FROM THE SUMMIT
OF BENBAUN AND LOOKING WEST

Considering we both have ancestors deeply rooted in Ireland, it did not surprise me that much of our verbal exchange encapsulated this amazing island. From driving on the left side of its narrow roads to embracing the sheer rugged beauty of its Western Coastline, we determined that Ireland afforded the most natural 'photo opportunity' for amateur and professional photographers alike. The light shimmering off of the Atlantic can be more than amazing and there is a fresh and steady stream of smiling Irish faces to always lighten-up even an overcast day! 

Visiting there today, it is difficult to imagine that approximately one million people died and another million or more emigrated from Ireland in the mid-1800's. The Great Famine or the Great Hunger, due to a potato blight, was a 

CLOSER DETAIL OF
FAMINE MONUMENT

period of mass starvation, disease, and emigration in Ireland between 1845 and 1852 when about two-fifths of the population, for a number of historical reasons, was dependent on this cheap crop for sustenance. According to Wikipedia, "The famine was a watershed in the history of Ireland. Its effects permanently changed the island's demographic, political, and cultural landscape. The massive famine soured the already strained relations between many of the Irish people and the British Crown, eventually leading to Irish Home Rule and United Ireland movements."

However, the Great Hunger devastated the 'backbone' of this country affecting its strength and character, its past, and most assuredly, its future.  How could it not? It caused the island's population to fall by between twenty and twenty-five per cent at the time. Unimaginable  statistics!

IRISH FAMILY BEING EVICTED
FROM THEIR HOME BY THE BRITISH

Over a million Irishmen, including complete families and lost, defeated youth, caught the glint in their eye from the sun's bright shimmer off of the hypnotic Atlantic waves and set sail upon rickety boats to far-off places such as Canada, Australia and Amerikay (America).

Many Irish Traditional songs were written due to this mass exodus to America to find a better life, brighter future, all at the expense of solid, Irish family traditions. Many feared that the Irish culture would be greatly diminished by its youth leaving and forsaking their heritage. Songs such as "The Shores of Amerikay" have captured the emotions of a generation that sought a better life for themselves and for those they loved so dearly......even at the expense of bidding farewell to their home and loved ones left behind. To many, it was the ultimate sacrifice.

"The Shores of Amerikay"
(Author Unknown)

I'm bidding farewell to the land of my youth,
And the home I love so well,
And the mountains so grand 'round my own native land,
I'm bidding them all farewell.
With an aching heart I'll bid them adieu,
For tomorrow I'll sail far away,
O'er the raging foam for to seek a home,
On the shores of Amerikay.

It's not for the want of employment I'm going,
It's not for the love of fame,
That fortune bright may shine over me,
And give me a glorious name.
It's not for the want of employment I'm going,
O'er the weary and stormy sea,
But to seek a home for my own true love,
On the shores of Amerikay.

And when I am bidding my last farewell,
The tears like rain will blind,
To think of my friends in my own native land,
And the home I'm leaving behind.
But if I'm to die in a foreign land,
And be buried so far far away,
No fond mother's tears will be shed o'er my grave,
On the shores of Amerikay.

Immigrants entered America from various places. They trickled down from Canada into Michigan's Upper Peninsula with many entering Detroit, as well, to stay and create a new life, or spread out into Ohio and Pennsylvania. Eventually, they entered American ports to settle in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. A story in The History Place states that "New York was better able to absorb its incoming Irish. Throughout the Famine years, 75 percent of the Irish coming to America landed in New York. In 1847, about 52,000 Irish arrived in the city which had a total population of 372,000."

"They arrived in great numbers, most were able to speak English, and their Western European culture was similar to American culture," accounts Brendan A. Rapple, author of an article entitled, 'Irish Americans.'

So, you know what it's like to be able to suddenly spot every Buick Encore on the road right after you've decided you'd like to purchase one yourself? Well, that's a little bit like how my story progresses. After returning home to Orlando, it seemed as though all of my energy was focused upon Ireland and the spirit of her people who remained there, as well as those who fled across the sea so many years before. Everything I saw or thought about revolved around Ireland and the many memories I had formulated of Ireland throughout our years of traveling there and writing about this beautiful place.

Taped on our DVR was a program we watch each week called 'Out of Ireland' featuring news, public affairs and cultural information of interest to Irish-Americans. Its host, Patricia O'Reilly, featured an unforgettable place located in Manhattan called 'The Lower East Side Tenement Museum' that has since jumped high in position of importance on my list of 'Must Sees.' And, for very good reasons!

Unlike most history museums whose curators display collections of artifacts they have compiled from a particular era via multiple contributors.....The Tenement Museum in Manhattan has opened up the doors to that lost 'Parisian apartment' after all of these years. The dust has been gently brushed aside and now the history of 97 Orchard Street, built in 1863, is like a little time capsule enticing us back into the past....

THE DUST BEING BRUSHED "ASIDE" AT
AN APARTMENT AT 97 ORCHARD STREET
  

A historian and social activist, Ruth Abram wanted to build a museum that honored America's immigrants. New York's tenements were the perfect place for her museum: these humble, multiple family buildings were the first American home for thousands of immigrants. It was a frustrating search until she stumbled upon the tenement at 97 Orchard Street which was called 'home' to nearly seven thousand working class immigrants.

Co-founder, Anita Jacobson, said, "97 Orchard's initial appeal was an available storefront which we considered renting this space to run tours of the Lower East Side." While inspecting the storefront, Jacobson went to the hallway to look for a bathroom. She saw sheet-metal ceilings, turn-of-the-century toilets and an aging wood banister. "It was as though people had just picked up and left. It was a little time capsule...I called Ruth and said 'We have got to have this building.' It was perfect."

The search was over and for the past twenty years, the Tenement Museum has blossomed from an idea into a thriving institution. Shuttered for over fifty years, 97 Orchard's apartments were in ruin. It would take time to transform the tenement into a museum. Undaunted, researchers scavenged through 97 Orchard and combed through archives, compiling evidence about tenants and tenement life.They have carefully restored six apartments, including the home of the Moores, Irish immigrants who lived at 97 Orchard in 1869.

 GUIDED TOUR AT 'THE TENEMENT MUSEUM' 

They continue to grow each year by expanding the Visitors Center, exhibitions and classrooms. The museum can only be seen by guided tour suggesting that they wish to preserve the integrity of 97 Orchard, as well as carefully educate the visitor about every detail this time capsule has to offer. In recognizing the importance of this seemingly ordinary building, the Tenement Museum has reimagined the role that museums can play in our lives.

The 'Power of Suggestion' can lead us down so many new and exciting roads. I certainly enjoyed following this one.....! As their 'Mission' states, "The Tenement Museum enhances appreciation for the profound role immigration has played and continues to play in shaping America's evolving national identity."  Let us never loose sight of how important immigration has been in creating the rich melting pot of cultures we enjoy today.


Road trip to New York City.....anyone?

LANDING IN NEW YORK CITY

COMMITMENT

A series of essays.....

.....as seen through my eyes!


By: Jacqueline E. Hughes



COMMITMENT

is tantamount to both success and failure. Whether we make this pledge to ourselves or to others, a course of action is demanded of us, as by position, custom, law, or religion. Upon making it, we may choose to see our commitment in many different ways and even perceive it as a burden, destined to drag us down into its dark, spiraling depths as we attempt to fulfill our obligations and duties. And, even though our initial intentions may have been fueled by passion and love, the job at hand could transpire into a wearisome and troubled journey, if we allow it..... However, we are not made to live strictly within our 'comfort zone.' Mankind is much more resilient to negative thoughts and, for the most part, resolves its own inadequacies and fears in order to extract a sense of accomplishment based on the commitments he or she has made.

"Commitment is doing the thing you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you."  ~Unknown~   

To say that we love is a commitment to our choice of giving ourselves to another and, once we have made it, we devote all of our physical and mental activities towards owning the experience because our commitment empowers us to do so. We should never feel enslaved by this choice. Love should never place restraints on the heart and soul in order to prove our intentions are real. If we truly commit to the  choice to love, our reward is bliss and great joy that is shared with those we are committed to. We should not have to beg for these things from those we love, but be given these things in return because we are equally loved. Taking responsibility for the welfare of an elderly person or a child with special needs requires a devotion so unselfish, honest, and true that the commitment made is worthy of all the respect and love needed to make it in the first place.

Athletes should respect and honor themselves while brandishing the results of a strong, powerful body, a healthy mind, and a positive outlook on life. True athletes commit to both physical and spiritual strength and have served us well as protector and warrior. Our soldiers marching off to war are athletes whose commitment to defend lives by possibly sacrificing their own, inspire all of us; they should be met with gracious approval.

If we do not commit to something within our lifetime then we have failed, for our first commitment should be to ourselves. We will reach an entire new level of experience in life when we achieve this. Lessons of kindness, responsibility, and the need to be the best we can be guide our lives on a course to success. If we do not have this control over our own lives, we may be destined for failure.

Life is short. It should not be wasted. Making a personal commitment to achieve a goal, no matter how big or small, is equal to making a commitment to someone else. It involves dedicating yourself to this agreement with yourself and knowing that there is nobody to let down but you. Excuses are not allowed if you wish to succeed. Always keep your goals in sight and commit to them and to yourself with an open heart, even in the face of adversity. Remember there is a sense of obligation whenever we make a commitment to another person. We should have that same sense of obligation to ourselves.

Think carefully and ask yourself, what are you committed to?


Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

SAYING "I LOVE YOU" FOR THE ONE HUNDREDTH TIME

A series of journeys.....

THE ROAD WELL TRAVELED

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

We can all agree by now that life is an amazing journey filled with wanderlust, new beginnings, healthy lifestyle alternatives, brilliant stories, and interesting people lining the entire path. And, if we are fortunate enough, some will join us walking hand-in-hand every step of the way.

Today I am celebrating my one hundredth post on Moving On.....2015.  I am thinking how I'd like to gather each story in my arms and go with a huge 'Group Hug' right now, briefly pat myself on the back, and then tell myself to regroup and go create, at least, one hundred more!

Each time I post a story, I am sharing a part of me with all of you. It may be about a fleeting moment in time well spent chasing a dream or, in many cases, fulfilling a lifelong goal. I am opinionated and informative at the same time and serve to seek out your own thought-provoking ideas while encouraging stimulating discussions. No matter what the particular topic may be each week, every essay, collection, book review, conversation, and story is my way of telling the world just how much I love being a part of this process called LIFE....




In celebration of this particular milestone, I choose to thank several entities that have directed me along my own journey and honor each with a few short paragraphs of appreciation. If you have been following 'the ride' with me, you will recognize them. If you've recently joined my personal excursion into life's abundance and joy....you will delight in the emotions that have fueled my work and exposed my passions. The greatest of these is Love.

SANTA HAS VISITED IN THE NIGHT

Portage, Michigan: December 25, 2013

This morning, Christmas morning, has been blessed with feather-like snowflakes dancing around just beyond the mullioned window and resembling tiny ballerinas drifting down from the clouds. I have made my way downstairs a bit early so that I can prepare and place my breakfast quiche into the hot oven to bake. I am hoping the delicate aroma will tempt everyone downstairs soon...as if the prospect of opening Santa's goodies from beneath the tree isn't enticement enough.

ADRIAN O'CONNOR

Doolin, County Clare, Ireland: Adrian O'Connor, October, 2013

Adrian stood and told us he would be right back, as if, suddenly, remembering the kettle was on. He returned within moments carrying a small set of pipes that appeared as old and craggy as our dear friend. Okay, so I could barely make out his face four songs later due to the tears freely flowing from my eyes. I knew, as sure as the Irish sun was shining down upon us, as precious as the memory of a grandchild's kiss, as blissful as an invigorating walk through a green-splashed forest on a Sunday morning.....we were in the midst of a power so great and strong, it was bigger than all of us. Yet, it was all of us combined. Love isn't complicated. You just have to be aware of it with every breath you take. My 'tears of happiness' equaled nothing short of pure peace and solace in my life. Thank you my friend.....

MY FAVORITE PICTURE I
HAVE TAKEN OF LA TOUR EIFFEL

Paris, France: Any day of the year!!

So many remarkable stories fill my mind when I look at the amazing buildings of Paris! The flavors and tastes of Paris all enriched by her sumptuous beauty…just waiting to be unwrapped over and over again by ‘fresh eyes’ and open hearts! To stand on the balcony overlooking the quintessential icon of Paris, La Tour Eiffel, as I kiss the one I love so deeply, excites me beyond belief! It would be a privilege to call this place ‘our home,’ even for a moment in time, and immerse ourselves within the power and beauty of the most delicious city in the world! My heart has already arrived….

SAILING SHIPS OF WHITE LIGHT

Orlando, Florida: Joe Bonamassa Concert, December 19, 2014

Color creates moods; color changes moods. Color evokes memories and, in turn, produces responses from those memories. Yet, color is timeless. Color is ageless. It can be yesterday, today, or tomorrow and ebb and flow offering irregular outlines that shift like the seas with the tide.

Soft, powdery blues mixed with powerful beams of bright, white light spotlighted Joe and turned the stage into an extraterrestrial-like encounter as this eclectic mixture of talented musicians delivered an intricately textured, unplugged experience. At one point, the white illumination resembled sailing ships carrying the music across an imaginary sea and back to Europe, the place which lent its vintage flair to this acoustic blues set.

Nostalgia: February 5, 2015

Nostalgia, my old friend....  Why must I always find you lurking in the vast recesses of my mind, waiting, waiting for my vulnerability to emerge? Wrap me in your rose-tinted veil so that I may see all that I long for once more. Seduce me with your false promises and drown this present feeling of 'hope lost' so that I may smile and feel whole once again, if only for a short while.

EVA IBBOTSON

"I want to live like music sounds.": About author Eva Ibbotson, January 22, 2015

My journey into the life of this interesting female author began because of a quote online that struck me as one of the best 'writing prompts' I'd seen in a long while. Spoken by her character, Ruth, in the novel, The Morning Gift, Eva Ibbotson wrote, "I want to live like music sounds." There's something quite magical in this statement. How does this interesting quote affect you? Are you conjuring up all sorts of pictures in your head right now as I am? From the four most recognized notes (Big Bang Introduction) of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 to the haunting dirge called A Prayer sung by Madeleine Peyroux from her album Dreamland.....and all of that 'life' filling in the huge area in between, our lives are surrounded by the sounds, noise, and notes that swirl and collect around us every moment of our existence!

Patriotism: July 2, 2015

PATRIOTISM conjures up the image of tri-corner hats and the courageous warnings of an American silversmith and engraver. The vivid impression of a loved one marching off to protect and defend with the pending separation beating life's blood rhythmically between kindred hearts. "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.....!" The school day begins with white stars in a backdrop of deepest blue and broad red and white stripes etched against the industrial green walls of the classroom. Who doesn't recall, at some point in time, the irregular rhythm of halyard and snap hooks clanging against a metal flagpole just outside of an office building or in the schoolyard on a breezy day?

THE LOST ART OF COMMUNICATION ~~ SPEECH

Waterford Lakes, Florida: June 6, 2014

The foyer of the restaurant was comparatively small, just enough room to allow several people respite from a summer shower, if need be. The six of us occupying this enclosed, hollowed space created an unusual feeling of quietness after a few minutes. As we sat comparing notes in whispered tones on our side of the space, it was apparent that silence prevailed on the opposite side.

Texting a friend? Checking her messages? Deleting unnecessary emails? Checking game scores? Absolute quiet. With silent keyboards, there wasn't even the sound of 'clicking' to stir-up the atmosphere. Were we witnessing a complete disregard for the unique enjoyment of interacting with those physically close to us? Exchanging human contact with cyber interfacing instead? With minds compartmentalized by their own devices, mother and daughter, husband and wife, sat silently, deep within their private worlds.....for a very long time.

LEA LISTENING TO SOUND INFORMATION
FROM SHOP CLERK

Cocoa Village, Florida: September 25, 2015

Timeline: September 15, 1997
Google.com is registered as a domain. The name....a play on the word "googol," a mathematical term for the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeroes, reflects Google's mission to organize and seemingly infinite amount of information on the web.

Timeline: September 25, 2015
Today I am being formally introduced to the quaint and beautiful little area known as Cocoa Village. Hidden in the midst of hundred-year-old oak trees along the banks of the Indian River, this community dates back to the 1860's. Having lived a mere thirty minutes away for nearly twenty years, why am only discovering this Historic Village now?

Because of my new, dear friends, Lea and Dave, whole new vistas have opened up for me. After enjoying coffee and conversation at Ossorio Bakery & Cafe on Brevard Avenue, Lea took me on a tour of the village, introducing me to shop owners, spoiling me with small, 'unusual' gifts, and making me feel like her beloved sister come to visit from around the world! I not only enjoyed the enchanting Southern experience, but my unselfish host made me feel like a 'Queen for a Day!'

Later we met up with Dave to experience a 'Diner' extravaganza for lunch. Good food and excellent company.....near perfection! Dave, a Mathematician, Engineer, and thirty-five year military veteran, enlightened me as to the interrelationship between Google.com and the mathematical term, 'googol,' for which I am exceedingly grateful.

Lea is trying to convince me to broaden my horizons and dabble in becoming a playwright. The funny part is that I am seriously thinking about it.

Our day together sadly came to an end and I found myself driving back up the 520 to connect with the Beachline Expressway and back home to Orlando. Conveniently, perhaps subconsciously, I left my umbrella in their car. Not that this act was needed to pull me back to this lovely area or into the company of these amazing friends. That will happen again soon. When one finds treasures such as this, you keep 'them' nearby for the rest of your life....

LOOKING UP AT  'BENBAUN'
THE PEAK OF DIAMOND HILL
IN CONNEMARA

Next week I will begin posting my second hundred stories. I can't help but wonder what intimate and surprising roads they will lead me down.



Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved