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Family Stories, Page 2

Sleuthing for the German Reillys

ne of the tragic and most interesting things to come out of the Great War and the Second World War was the …

Barbados Chest in a Molly Cottage

* Molly is a townland in North Longford, Ireland, where my great grandmother Margaret Drake (who married Michael O Reilly, she herself …

Basket Across the Boyne

Smoke had cleared, blood clotted, breaths gone Flies feasted on the dead Victories armies raged the land Men fled to hills and …

Saved by the Buttonhole

“They are buttonhole relations, when the buttonhole breaks, they are nothing” ~ North Longford saying The flames of war streaked the sky …

Telegram Ignored

Next of kin – sisters name given: Duty done, family contacted Telegram ignored – the shame, the shame As if kinship itself …

Irish Family Funerals

Last Patricks Day, everyone else went to the parade dressed in green. Not us. We are Cartys We are from Longford. We …

Beauty Passed, and Yet Still Beautiful

Beauty passed, and yet still beautiful, Walls crumble, slaves to time, build long ago The rhubarb that once here grew I ate, …

The Life Of Reilly’s Grandson

Reilly was the name of my Granny Though Molly was not her name Of Reillys they were many So they were known …

Elegy – Sweet Afton

It was just another brand Just another cigarette Nothing of which to be proud Or noteworthy, but yet To those who with …

The Bodhran and the Goat

The neighbors met in each others houses, to visit for a while Every house had its turn for maybe five or so …

Old Clonbroney

This is a ghost story told to me by my mother, from her grandparents, either Kiernans Mill or Treacys. The roadway mentioned …

The Hungry Grass

A shiver runs up my spine As stories I recall Of people dead in times gone by I was told of when …

Dead Souls And Black Dogs

The little old lady had lived for long, She was great of age And the time was coming along For her to …

Sitting There Saying Nothing

She sits there saying nothing A wee woman and her wains We know not who she is That sits there with her …

December 8th 2011

Cold wet soil of winter Is now her bed, darkness Eternal, wooden case embraces The body now still, but she Feels not …