The Irish Gaelic edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture

No, I'm not planning to write the whole carnival out in Irish Gaelic. Now, that would be some task for one who blunders when just trying to pronounce "Céad Míle Fáilte!"

The title of this post refers to the upcoming 5th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture - which I hope you'll plan to be a part of.

There's something about the Irish Gaelic language that has such an appeal to those of us who speak English. It has a mysterious sound (and often a mysterious meaning to those of us that can't easily translate it).

The 5th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture will honor the beauty of the Irish language with a focus on Irish Gaelic names and words.

• Has the charm of the name of a place in Ireland always called to you to visit someday?


• As a child did you secretly wish you had the Irish name of a great-grandparent instead of the name you were born with?


• Do you have a story to tell about someone with an Irish surname?


• Is there an Irish proverb that you have always loved to let slide off of your tongue in its original language?

Join us for the 5th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. The only prerequisite is that your post must tie in with our focus on the Irish Gaelic language.

Posts for this edition of the carnival are due April 27. Submit your entries here. The carnival will be posted at A light that shines again on St. Ciarán's Day, April 30. (Well, one of the St. Ciarán's days - there are actually 14 in the calendar of Irish saints. Now there's one popular Irish Gaelic name!)

Hope you'll join us for a celebration of Gaeilge!

If you haven't yet done so, don't forget to read the 2008 St. Patrick's Day edition of the carnival.

Until we meet again:

Slán agus beannacht leat!

Good-bye and blessings on you!

"Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam"
(A country without a language, a country without a soul)

Image of shamrocks courtesy of Karen's Whimsy.

A St. Patrick's Day parade of posts!

St. Patrick's Day has long been honored in the land of the Emerald Isle - and is today also celebrated by the millions of "exiles" the world over who share Irish heritage or a love for Ireland's culture.

Welcome to the St. Patrick's Day edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. If you are an Irish citizen, have Irish ancestry, or just love the history and culture of Ireland, you've come to the right place this St. Patrick's Day.

Of course, you may have heard that today is not officially the feast of St. Patrick. The importance of the liturgical celebration for 2008 has been eclipsed by that of Monday of Holy Week. Yet, secular St. Patrick's Day celebrations will continue today and lovers of Ireland the world over cannot help but be sentimental about the land of Erin every March 17, this year included.

So sit back, grab a cup of Irish tea and a scone or two, and join us for a parade of posts celebrating all things Irish!

Just to get you in the mood for St. Patrick's Day, we'll begin with a tour of Irish heritage around the web.

I enjoyed reading the fictional story of a shillelagh passed down through one family along with the tale of their immigrant ancestor's journey to America. Over at A light that shines again you can read more about this charming children's book and why "a good story never has to end...". What a nice surprise to find that Elizabeth's young daughter (of Little Bytes of Life) found a shillelagh hiding behind a door in her home and pulled it out to enjoy it! View her blog to see photos of this wee lass "walking tall" with her grandmother's shillelagh.

The book and Elizabeth's photos make me think of the many heirlooms and tales of my own family's heritage that I wish had been passed down just one more generation. Some of you have shared your family's stories for our St. Patrick's Day carnival. It is good to know that they will be passed down for posterity.

I enjoyed reading about Colleen Johnson's heritage in both Tierlaheen, County Clare and Drumlish, County Longford. Only a second generation American herself, Colleen tells of her grandmother's sad departure from Ireland and her own visits many years later with Clune cousins in her family's ancestral village. You'll enjoy the story about Colleen's love of the cliffs of Moher and her attempts at leaning over the edge and looking down to get a great photo. (Get a feel for the cliffs yourself via a video link on Colleen's post.) Colleen and her family's mistake on their visit to her grandfather's boyhood home is one that all those searching for their roots in a foreign homeland would be wise to avoid.

Not all of us can be as sure as Colleen as to where our Irish roots originated. Terry Thornton of Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi has memories of his mother's claim to Irish heritage, but as dedicated a genealogist as he is, he has not yet been able to find the paper trail back to Ireland. His post entitled Am I of Irish Descent? The Hollingsworth Connection details his research so far and his questions regarding his ancestors who may have been Irish or if not, possibly English residents of the land of Erin.

Bill West over in New England has a better grasp on his own Irish heritage. His mother even helped to get the local St. Patrick's Day parade established. Yet, his shortcoming is his inability to pronounce the language of his ancestors. Read My Mother's Mother's Mother's Mother Tongue for a humorous look at Bill's attempt to introduce a Celtic band with an Irish Gaelic name.

I, too, can relate to finding difficulty with the foreign-sounding Irish language and wishing it could have been passed down to me along with my Irish genes. If you'd like a few tips on how to pronounce some simple Irish phrases for St. Patrick's Day, take a look at Your St. Patrick's Day to-do list here at Small-leaved Shamrock.

Speaking of a "mother's mother's mother's mother tongue", I've posted a tribute to the Irish women in our family trees at Irish women in America: our grandmothers' stories. Want to learn more about the history of the tough and resilient women of Ireland and those of Irish descent who spent their lives as immigrants in a new world? This post includes a list of recommended reading to deepen our understanding of their history.

Janice Brown of Cow Hampshire, who also has Irish heritage, found herself interested in the Irish roots of N.A.S.A. Endeavor Mission Specialist Dr. Rick Linnehan. Her post about Dr. Linnehan explores his Irish ancestry in Massachusetts. Janice wonders if he'll be taking a shamrock with him on his visit into space. The current Endeavor mission, launched on March 11, will continue through March 26. Here's hoping the crew will take a break from their work to commemorate St. Patrick's Day!

Speaking of St. Patrick's Day, the holiday's long history and full meaning are not always understood by those celebrating. For a little history lesson on the meaning behind all the fuss on March 17, see my post at A light that shines again where I've written A wee bit of Irish history for ya.

Want to know more about St. Patrick himself, the man in whose name all the festivities are held? Read my post entitled The man of the hour: Pádraig of Ireland here at Small-leaved Shamrock for a little background on his life and a sample of his actual writings, which survive to the present day.

Loretta Murphy on her Girardville, Pennsylvania blog The Creek (pronounced "crick") has written a beautiful post detailing the history and significance of St. Patrick's Day as a holiday primarily in celebration of the faith of the Irish people. Loretta writes, "The significance of St. Patrick's Day for all Irish is, in the end, one of culture. It is a tradition, a symbol of our ethnic history and religious heritage. Regardless of where or how it is celebrated, it is a matter of Irish pride that the true meaning of the celebration be made known." Read about that true meaning in her post entitled St. Patrick's Day 2008.

Already think you know everything there is to know about St. Patrick and the Emerald Isle? Try your luck on a few quizzes to prove it.

If you come up short on a few of those questions and need a review or if you'd like to share the history and fun of St. Patrick's Day with children, a good place to start is my post On leprechauns and other little people. You'll find a list of recommended children's books on St. Patrick's Day and Ireland in general. Here's your chance to be sure that the children in your life know that there's more to St. Patrick's Day than snacks with green food coloring.

Enough for the background on St. Patrick's Day. Eventually you just have to get down to the celebration itself!

Here, thanks to a number of bloggers, we have some ideas on many different ways that you can spend your time this St. Patrick's Day.

But before we get started, a warning from Mike O'Laughlin of the Irish Roots Cafe. Read his post The Crying Shamerock Awards for a few items to avoid within your St. Patrick's Day celebrations: icons that claim to be of Irish origin but are really not.

Now on to our St. Patrick's Day plans. Here is a list of activities to fit into your day this March 17 or sometime during March 2008, designated in the U.S. as Irish-American heritage month.

Start your day with some Irish tea - Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Austin Family shares some good memories of having tea at his Grandmother's home in his post The Irish Tradition of Tea. He also gives five "rules" to follow when serving your own tea. My favorite of his rules has to do with picking the right teaspoon!

Wear your green - Who knows, if you wear your green and have Irish blood, you might even see a leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day. Read about Jessica's attempt to do so as a young girl at Thoughts About Irish Heritage in America ....

Sing an old Irish folk song - What better way to celebrate March 17 than to sing an old Irish ballad or folktune? When you've done too many rounds of Danny Boy, see my post Sing of Erin for another old (but often forgotten) classic.

Read some classic Irish poetry - One of my all-time favorites has to be "The Wearin' of the Green". Read my post about the 300-year-old poem which can't help but touch the heartstrings of anyone who has a soft spot for the Irish and their sad plight during some of their most difficult struggles in history.

Write some poetry of your own - How about an Irish poetic triad? You probably know that the number three is important to the Irish. St. Patrick used the three leaves of the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish people. Bill West of West in New England has a fun suggestion: try creating some poetic triads of your own. See his post Three is the number thou shalt count... for details. A little history, a lot of blarney, good poetry - a successful formula for some quality St. Patrick's Day writing!

Do some St. Patrick's Day digital scrapbooking - Jasia's Creative Genealogy blog highlights some nice (and free) kits that will call out the creative gene in you. Stop by Ooodles O'Irish! for some fun project starters to liven up your St. Patrick's Day pictures or photographs of Irish family, occasions or travel.

Give your pet a proper Irish name - Tim Agazio of Genealogy Reviews Online found an old 1893 New York Times article exposing a controversy over the appropriateness of the Irish names given to various animals at the Central Park Zoo. Today, since Irish-Americans need no longer have as much fear of ridicule, I'm sure that those names would be a source of pride. Read Tim's article and then take pride in your Irish heritage by giving your beloved pet an Irish name this Irish-American heritage month.

Prepare some Irish recipes - Your Irish celebrations need not add on the pounds, says Anne-Marie of This Mama Cooks! On a Diet and My Readable Feast. Read her post 5 ways to stay lean and green this St. Patrick's Day for some tips, including how to do your corned beef and cabbage "right". Anne-Marie's St. Patrick's Day family fun and feasting gives a nice recipe for Honey-Almond Oat Pudding, a bit of Irish cuisine that may appeal to all the little lads and lasses that you know.

Watch an old movie about the Irish - Miriam of AnceStories suggests her favorite movie. Recollections of the lush green images of Ireland and the sound of Irish voices in The Quiet Man bring back fond memories for her. Read her post to hear about this movie from her childhood in Alaska and to see a video clip. Now, as we conclude this St. Patrick's Day parade of posts for the 4th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture, here are a few special tributes for you.

From Janice Brown of Cow Hampshire (and her appropriately dressed "banner cow", decked out for St. Patrick's Day): Raising Your Pint to St. Patrick...

From footnoteMaven, giving us a little lesson in Irish Gaelic: Saol Fada Chugat

And as we say goodbye, I leave a St. Patrick's Day blessing for all of you - my Irish (and "Irish for the Day") readers of Small-leaved Shamrock and A light that shines again:

May your blessings outnumber

The shamrocks that grow,

And may trouble avoid you

Wherever you go.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

(Ban-ock-tee na fay-lah paw-rig ur-iv)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

For information about the upcoming 5th edition of the carnival, see my post entitled The Irish Gaelic Edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture.

The man of the hour: Pádraig of Ireland

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day this year but don't know much about Pádraig himself? With all of the fun this weekend for St. Patrick's Day, I found myself wondering just how many people actual know anything about the details of the life of St. Patrick, who passed away back in the 5th century.

Did you know that some of his writings have survived to the present day? I've recently enjoyed reading The Confession of St. Patrick translated by John Skinner. It is, as Irish poet John O'Donohue puts it in his foreward to the book, "a window into a remarkable life". Patrick, who you may remember was actually born in Britain, first experienced Ireland as a captured slave boy. His call to return to Ireland many years after his escape is described in his narrative, which can also be found online at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library website.

Here is his story of being "Recalled to Ireland by a Dream":

And after a few years I was again in Britain with my parents [kinsfolk], and they welcomed me as a son, and asked me, in faith, that after the great tribulations I had endured I should not go anywhere else away from them. And, of course, there, in a vision of the night, I saw a man whose name was Victoricus coming as if from Ireland with innumerable letters, and he gave me one of them, and I read the beginning of the letter: ‘The Voice of the Irish’; and as I was reading the beginning of the letter I seemed at that moment to hear the voice of those who were beside the forest of Foclut which is near the western sea, and they were crying as if with one voice: ‘We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and shall walk again among us.’ And I was stung intensely in my heart so that I could read no more, and thus I awoke. Thanks be to God, because after so many years the Lord bestowed on them according to their cry.

The famous words of the prayer known as the "Breastplate of St. Patrick" or the "Lorica" also provide an insight into Patrick's faith and are a well-known creed for Catholics and Christians of many other denominations. Here is an excerpt:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of Christ.
May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.

I have found it inspiring to learn more about the life of this holy man so revered in Ireland and throughout the world.

As we celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year, may the patron saint of Ireland smile down from Heaven and ask God's blessing on all of us as we participate in all this fun and frolic in his name!

For more on St. Patrick see the Irish Culture & Customs website's article entitled "I, Patrick, the sinner..."

Think you know your Irish trivia?

Get your thinking cap on under your green St. Patrick's Day hat and give these quizzes a try:

• All Things Irish quiz


• Test Your Irish I.Q.


• History of Ireland quiz

The last one is a doozy - you might want to study in advance if you're afraid to take a hit to your Irish pride with a low score. If not, go ahead and try your luck in the name of St. Patrick!

Your St. Patrick's Day to-do list

With St. Patrick's Day fast approaching, I hope you have gotten your plans in order for celebration.

Checked these off your list yet?

• Something green to wear
• Recipes and ingredients ready for a meal with Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage, etc. (or plans to eat out at your favorite Irish pub)
• Info and directions to get to your nearest St. Patrick's Day parades and celebrations
• A few Irish Gaelic phrases - practiced and ready

What was that? You haven't been practicing your Irish Gaelic?

If you need a little help with pronunciations of a few quick phrases for St. Patrick's Day, here's just the thing. Rosetta Stone, maker of language-learning software for many native tongues the world over, is trying their hand at Irish Gaelic. As part of a promo for their new program they sent an Irish linguist out to teach everyday people on the street how to say some basic Irish phrases. The takers included a few cowboys who learned to introduce themselves in their new language. View the videos and try your hand at saying "Cheers!" in Gaelic and learning other useful phrases.

If you're really pressed for time, just start with this one-minute video below. Everyone with Irish blood runnin' through their veins should at least know how to say Happy Saint Patrick's Day in the language of their ancestors!

Have your green ready?

Only a day or so left to get ready for the St. Patrick's Day 2008 edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture. (Well okay, if you're a procrastinator I'll give you a little extra time!)

Join us whether you have Irish heritage or not. An appreciation of any and all things Irish is the only prerequisite for entry.

Here are the details:

March is Irish heritage month in many places, thanks to the feast day of St. Patrick, beloved saint of Ireland. Our topic for this month will be anything and everything about Irish heritage, genealogy and culture.

Posts about St. Patrick will be appreciated, but posts related to any meaningful aspect of Ireland's heritage are welcomed.

The deadline is March 14, 2008. (If you can send me a blarney-ful excuse, I'll extend it a little in your case.) Submit your entry here. Then come join us for the celebration on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2008.

On the feast of St. Patrick, everyone likes to be Irish, at least for one day. Hope to see you wearing your green!

Update March 17: The carnival has been posted at A St. Patrick's Day parade of posts!

A whisper from St. Patrick...

A Wordless Wednesday entry (such as this one) is a picture that speaks for itself without a lot of description. I thought you might enjoy viewing this vintage St. Patrick's Day postcard.

Postcard image courtesy of Karen's Whimsy.

Sing of Erin

One of the resources that I wrote about earlier for sharing history with kids is the Library of Congress kids' website entitled America's Story from America's Library. The site has pages on many segments of American history, including a nice little entry on Irish-Americans and St. Patrick's Day. Visit the webpage for a link to a very, very short audio version of a simple little ditty celebrating Irish family heritage: My Father and Mother Were Irish.

There are certainly songs of Ireland that are very well-known. Danny Boy is probably the most famous of them. I was searching, however, for old Irish folksongs that might not be as easily recognized by most music listeners.

In looking for some of those obscure Irish-American folk songs, I found the words to the song Erin is Calling, whose sheet music cover is displayed on the America's Story website. So many songs written by the Irish, those that left and those that remained, have such a sadness to them. Erin is Calling is no different. Here are the words:

Erin is Calling

by William Jerome & Milton Ager, 1916

Can't you hear poor Erin sadly calling you?
Erin, alone, calls to her own
And her grief I'm sharin,' you must share it too:
Erin is calling you.

Fair Killarney's waters ebb and flow along
Fed by her tears all these long years
Erin's sons and daughters must right every wrong.
Erin, sweet land of song.

Shannon flowing;
Erin's tears have kept the shamrock growing.
You can hear a tear in every breeze that is blowing,
Erin is calling you.

Don't those words just make you want to go back to Ireland and comfort those poor sad rivers and breezes?

Source:
Barbelle, Albert, illustrator. "Erin Is Calling." Milton Ager, music. William Jerome, words. New York, William Jerome, 1916. Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920 (from Duke University), American Memory collections, Library of Congress.

On leprechauns and other little people

If you read my post entitled Ready for battle: history for kids you probably know how much I value sharing history and heritage with children. As we approach St. Patrick's Day, I've been wondering about what the average American child thinks about the holiday. Often those with Irish heritage know as little as those without it.

I wasn't encouraged when I went looking for children's books about St. Patrick's Day. Craft books on the holiday were harder to come by than I had hoped, and when I did find them I was often dismayed. Potato sock puppets, shamrock-shaped mice, and stuffed leprechauns just don't do St. Patrick justice. Nor do snacks-of-all-sorts dolled up with green food coloring.

Is that the primary exposure that American children are getting to the history and culture of Ireland?

In my search for ideas to share with children on St. Patricks' Day, I did find a few appealing resources.

Gail Gibbons' book St. Patrick's Day is a simply illustrated introduction to St. Patrick, the holiday which carries his name, and various Irish cultural icons. The reader meets the brave young boy who was kidnapped and forced to work as a shepherd across the sea in Ireland, whose people he would some day shepherd in faith. The book's simple introduction to St. Patrick, a few of the legends surrounding him, and to shillelaghs, harps and modern St. Patrick's Day celebrations is a good start.

St. Patrick's Day: Parades, Shamrocks, and Leprechauns by Elaine Landau is another nice resource to share with children regarding all the fuss on each March 17. It gives a much more detailed story of Patrick and his road to sainthood, and covers various legends and symbols of Ireland in detail.

Shamrocks, Harps, and Shillelaghs: The Story of the St. Patrick's Day Symbols by Edna Barth is one of a series of books for kids on holiday celebrations. It's a fun look at St. Patrick's Day and the origin of some well-known Irish traditions and symbols.

S Is for Shamrock: An Ireland Alphabet by Eve Bunting is a creative look at Ireland's culture via the ABCs. You can also find a fun teachers' guide to the book online. My favorite activity is writing "Fairy Ring poetry".

Along similar lines is Look What Came From Ireland by Miles Harvey. Using photographs and illustrations the book introduces children to the geography and culture of the Emerald Isle.

I hope this post has inspired you to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with the children in your life. Why not share a few cookies together while wearing your green and reading a good book on Irish culture? I guess it wouldn't hurt if you iced the cookies the right color.

Irish women in America: our grandmothers' stories

I have observed that in various branches of my family the daughters often have had better collections of family photographs, heirlooms and keepsakes than the sons. To me (the eager family historian looking for clues to the lives of my ancestors several generations back) these collections have been a treasure trove of information: drawers and boxes full of items giving me glimpses into a history that would otherwise have been lost.

I have appreciated collections saved lovingly by dear great aunts and beloved grandmothers (and sometimes not so much saved lovingly as just stored deep enough down so as not to become the victim of the trash can!). I have often wished that the men in the family had the same interest in collecting - or that I could find the long lost women relations who did collect items for that side of the family.

These wishes can only go back so far, however. I know for a fact that the chances of finding a photograph of a family member taken in the 19th century get slimmer and slimmer the further back I go with my family tree. And what are the odds that family letters or mementos, even if they were saved by a nostalgic great-aunt, would have survived the wear and tear of more than a century?

So, sadly, for the stories of the lives of many of my family members over a century ago, I must turn to government documents and other records (when I can find them). More often than not, these focus on the male members of the family. Information on the lives of the women in my family is often harder to come by.

That's where works of social history come in. Pondering the lives of many of the women who came before me, I was looking for insights into the world of Irish immigrant women in America when I came across an interesting list of titles. As far back as 1996, Helen Fallon compiled and placed on the web a list of books dealing with 19th-century Irish emigrant women. Her assortment of annotated bibliographical references includes not only full books dealing with Irish emigrant women, but references to specific chapters of interest in more general volumes.

Here are a few titles that I plan to look further into:

Irish Women & Irish Migration edited by Patrick O'Sullivan - Two chapters of particular interest to women's history include Dymphna McLoughlin's essay Superfluous and Unwanted Deadweight: The Emigration of 19th-century Pauper Women and Miller, Doyle and Kelleher's For Love & Liberty: Irish Women, Migration and Domesticity in Ireland and America, 1815-1920.

Ourselves Alone: Women's Emigration from Ireland 1885-1920 by Janet Nolan - According to Fallon's annotated bibliography, the book includes descripions of the life of Irish women in the United States during this period.

The Irish in America: A Guide to the Literature and Manuscript Collections by Patrick Blessing - This resource includes twelve pages of sources focused on women in addition to many pages of other interesting topics on Irish-American history.

Erin's Daughters in America by Hasia Diner - This is a book that I had actually begun to read but had not yet finished. Diner's book, which attempts to cover many aspects of the lives of Irish-American women, often negatively focuses on the failures of the Irish but is interesting reading.

Immigrant Women in the United States: A Selectively Annotated Multidisciplinary Bibliography by Donna Gabaccia - A reference work for serious students of women's history, this book's country of origin index lists over 200 entries for Ireland.

Check out Helen Fallon's full annotated bibliography entitled The Emigration of Irish Women in the Nineteenth Century.

Another book not noted on the list that I found while searching for Irish women's history is Women in Ireland 1800-1919: A Documentary History. Using actual letters and documents of the time period (the kind I would like to discover handed down in my family) the book gives a glimpse into the world and lives of Irish women within the last two centuries.

In light of my search for the stories of my great-grandmothers and mothers many generations back I particularly enjoyed reading the admonishments to women written by Margaret Cusack (known as the Nun of Kenmare) as reprinted in Women in Ireland 1800-1918. She wrote in 1874:

"...Every mother is forming the future generation,...every mother is affixing her stamp and seal to the society which will be when she perhaps has gone to her account.

It is an awful thing to think how far we can control and influence the destinies of an entire race, of a race preparing for its future life.

Mothers! arise in the greatness of your power, in the splendour of your strength, and be the regenerators of the world. You have in your hands the making or marring of immortal destinies; do not, I beg you, be content with anything less."

In this month with its focus both on Irish-American heritage and women's history, Small-leaved Shamrock remembers and honors the life of each daughter of Erin who has gone before us and "affixed her stamp and seal" on her society and her family.

Though I may never learn the details of the life stories of many of my women ancestors, I know that they will always be a part of me and that their influence on the history of my family has helped to make me who I am today.

Have additional suggested reading that might open our eyes to the lives and times of the women in our Irish family trees? Please post a comment or send an email to Small-leaved Shamrock.

All Cowheys on the steps for a family portrait!

Cowhey gathering, early 1940s: Home of John & Frances Owens Cowhey, 75 Main Street, Mount Carbon, PA

Well, maybe not all the Cowheys...

By the date of this photograph, the gathering of even a partial group of the descendants of William Cowhey and his two wives made for quite a party. William's first wife (who is listed as Catherine on some records but was known to the family as Anne) bore him at least five children before she died from "consumption in the lungs" in 1876, according to the physician's affidavit in William's Civil War pension file. His second wife, Margaret (Foley) Cowhey, whom he married in 1878, bore William ten more children.

I know of several family members that are most certainly missing from this portrait. I am currently trying to identify and label everyone in this picture. If you have any information that might help, please email or post a comment.

This photograph is also on the sidebar of Small-leaved Shamrock and at the post entitled One big happy family.

Source:
William Cowhey (Pvt., Co. I., 16th Pa. Inf., Civil War), pension no. 700,145, certificates no. 565,914 and 376459; Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

A Wordless Wednesday entry (such as this one) is a picture that speaks for itself without a lot of description. The picture may be one whose subjects are not yet identified or whose story is not fully understood. If you have any information about the subjects, date or location pertaining to the above photograph, please post a comment or send an email and share what you know.

The New York Times - November 15, 1892

There's just something about seeing the actual newspaper article...

In my earlier post entitled November 1892: PA train explosion makes NYC headlines I included the transcription of the New York Times article describing the boiler explosion that killed my great-great-grandfather William Cowhey and his fellow railroad men. The transcription was placed on the GenDisasters website by a kind volunteer.

Now, thanks to James Cowhey, another descendant of William, I have a copy of the actual article the way it appeared in the newspaper. Here is the way that New York Times readers would have viewed the story way back in 1892:

View the original article (full size) at The New York Times online archives.

Source:
“Five Killed by an Explosion: Engine on the Reading Railroad Torn to Pieces,” The New York Times, New York, New York, November 14, 1892, <http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9E05E3DE1638E233A25756C1A9679D94639ED7CF&oref=slogin> or <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E05E3DE1638E233A25756C1A9679D94639ED7CF>, accessed March 5, 2008.

Cowhey family reunion - online!

Are you a descendant of Patrick & Anne Cowhey of Ireland, New York and Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania? If not, are you related to the Cowhey family by marriage? If so, join us for discussion via our new email list: cowheyhistory.

The email list will be a forum for cousins to communicate with eachother and share memories of family and old times in Mount Carbon and Pottsville. Never been to Schuylkill County? Join us anyway. We'll also share new discoveries about our family's shared history: trains, coal mines, Civil War stories and faith that kept the family going during hard times.

If you're a Cowhey cousin, come join us!

Reading engine no. 563: the lone survivor?

It was Reading engine no. 563 on which William Cowhey, engineer, and his fireman William Moyer were traveling home after their shift one November night in 1892. They had hopped on the train after their own shift ended on engine no. 73, and were headed to their respective homes in Mount Carbon and Palo Alto after a long day's work. Along with the crew of the no. 563, Cowhey and Moyer went to their deaths when a powerful boiler explosion ripped through the engine.

One of the men, Michael Dobbins, survived the explosion, but was badly injured and unconscious, according to the Pottsville Republican's November 14, 1892 account of the event.

If Dobbins' injuries were indeed fatal, that would leave only one survivor of the explosion of Reading engine 562 on November 14, 1892: the train itself.

Although badly damaged, the train appears to have been rebuilt. It's wooden cab was replaced by a "modern" metal cab. Here she is, circa 1930's, more than likely the lone survivor of the fateful accident that day:

This image of Reading engine no. 563 is from the archives of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Much thanks to Ronald Bailey, President of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Advisory Council, an avid railroad historian, and licensed steam locomotive engineer, for finding and sharing this photograph.

St. Patrick's Day blog carnival: two weeks away!

Just two weeks left to get ready for the St. Patrick's Day 2008 edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture, our 4th edition to date.

Now your's chance to join us, whether you have Irish heritage or not. An appreciation of any and all things Irish is the only prerequisite for entry. Here are the details:

March is Irish heritage month in many places, thanks to the feast day of St. Patrick, beloved saint of Ireland. Our topic for this month will be anything and everything about Irish heritage, genealogy and culture.

Posts about St. Patrick will be appreciated, but posts related to any meaningful aspect of Ireland's heritage are welcomed. To borrow an idea from Bill West's genealogy parade, we'll have our very own virtual St. Patrick's Day parade!

The deadline is March 14, 2008. Submit your entry here. Then come join us for the celebration on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2008.

On the feast of St. Patrick, everyone likes to be Irish, at least for one day. Hope to see you wearing your green!

Update March 17: The carnival has been posted at A St. Patrick's Day parade of posts!

Image of the shamrocks courtesy of Karen's Whimsy.

November 1892: PA train explosion makes NYC headlines

I thought I had found all the newspaper accounts of the Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania train accident that killed my great-great-grandfather. But I'd never thought to look as far as the New York Times.

Thanks to a heads-up from Colleen of the The Oracle of OMcHodoy and thanks to GenDisasters transcriber Linda Horton, I learned that the fateful explosion that took the life of William Cowhey and four other men that day made news as far away as New York City.

GenDisasters, a site started last October, is a forum for sharing and finding newspaper articles on "events that touched our ancestors' lives". The site has a handy search feature and can also be browsed by state (or Canadian province), year or type of disaster. You can also add comments or more information to the articles posted.

Check out the transcription of the New York Times article on the November 14, 1892 train explosion that took William Cowhey's life at the GenDisasters' webpage Pottsville, PA Locomotive Boiler Explosion, Nov 1892. Here is the text of the article:

FIVE KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION.

ENGINE ON THE READING RAILROAD TORN TO PIECES.

POTTSVILLE, Penn., Nov. 14.---On the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad at 2 o'clock this morning, at Conner's Crossing, a short distance north of Schuylkill Haven, the boiler of Mogul Engine No. 563 exploded, killing five men and probably fatally injuring another.

The killed are:
HENRY C. ALLISON, engineer, residing at Palo Alto; leaves wife.
WILLIAM MACKEY, fireman, Port Carbon; leaves wife and one child.
WILLIAM COWHEY, an engineer, on way home to Mount Carbon; leaves wife and ten children.
WILLIAM KENDRICK, conductor, of Port Carbon; leaves wife and four children.
WILLIAM MOYER, Cowhey's fireman, Palo Alto; single.
Michael Dobbins of Mount Carbon, a brakeman of Engineer Cowhey's crew, was badly scalded, and will probably die.

Engine No. 563 was north bound with a heavy train of empty cars. William Cowhey with his crew had brought up a train of empties, and, after running them into the Cressona yards, boarded Engine No. 563 at the Mine Hill Crossing with the intention of reaching their homes in that way, and as is customary took possession of the cab. Dobbins, who escaped instant death, was sitting on the tender.

The men had been on the engine barely two minutes when, without any warning, the terrible explosion occurred. The boiler and firebox were blown off the tracks, and the tracks were so badly damaged that traffic was considerably delayed. The north and south bound midnight Buffalo trains were compelled to run via the Little Schuylkill branch from Tamaqua to Port Clinton.

It is learned that the train had come to a standstill because of the lowness of steam and the blower had been on. It was during this process that the boiler exploded.

Company officials thoroughly examined into the cause of the accident, and this was made plain this afternoon when they loaded up the crown sheet and sent it to Palo Alto. On the crown sheet is unmistakable evidence that the explosion was caused by low water, as the iron is badly burned a deep blue color and the marks show just how high the water was. All railroad men after seeing this acknowledged that there was no other cause.

The New York Times, New York, NY 15 Nov 1892

I've posted the following on the GenDisasters page using the comments feature:

William Cowhey, the engineer on his way home at the time of the November 14, 1892 explosion mentioned in this New York Times article, was my great-great-grandfather from Mount Carbon, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. A Union veteran of the Civil War active in the Grand Army of the Republic's Gowen Post, his tragic loss must have been greatly mourned by his wife Margaret (Foley) Cowhey, his many children and the citizens of Mount Carbon and Pottsville.

For more on William Cowhey and the history of his family see my blog Small-leaved Shamrock. For more specifics about the fateful accident, including similar articles about the disaster in Schuylkill County newspapers, see the post entitled Riding the Rails.

I know that train accidents at the time were nothing new, and these men were certainly not celebrities. Was it just a slow news day that caused the New York Times to post this article back in November of 1892?

Whatever the reason, the article provided some new information on this sad day in the history of my family. I'm thankful to have found it.

Source: Linda Horton, “Pottsville, PA Locomotive Boiler Explosion, Nov 1892,” transcribed February 1, 2008, Gendisasters: Events That Touched Our Ancestors’ Lives (Gendisasters, 2008) [“Five Killed by an Explosion: Engine on the Reading Railroad Torn to Pieces,” from The New York Times, November 15, 1892], <http://www3.gendisasters.com/pennsylvania/5006/pottsville,-pa-locomotive-boiler-explosion,-nov-1892>, accessed February 26, 2008.

Tragedy & miracles in the coal mines: December 1907

It was known by Pennsylvania mining families as "the dreaded month". According to the current director of mines for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, December 1907 was the "darkest month in mining history in the country". Although mining was always fraught with risks and the nation had seen many mining disasters, never before had there been so many casualities in the same month. Even today, December 1907 still holds the infamous record. By its end, more than 3,200 miners had lost their lives in American mine accidents. In Pennsylvania, 1,400 miners died that year: 708 in the anthracite and 806 in the bituminous mines.

One of the catastrophes of that month still rates as the single worst mining disaster in the history of America: the explosion of the Darr Mine southeast of Pittsburgh. Two-hundred and thirty-nine men lost their lives that day, most of them Hungarian miners.

To hear the story of the tragedy and learn about the effort to preserve the history of the event and the memory of the men whose lives were lost, view the WQED Pittsburgh video on the Darr Mine Disaster.

It is a story of sadness and suffering, but also of joy and thanksgiving thanks to a miracle which saved the lives of many would-be victims of the disaster. More than 200 Carpatho-Rusyn miners refused to go to work on December 19, 1907 in order to observe the Orthodox feast day of St. Nicholas, their patron saint. They were in the midst of the liturgy praying for God's protection and invoking the prayers of St. Nicholas when they heard the explosion and left to go assist their co-workers in the mine. According to the video, it was the second such miracle to occur that month: a similar one had occured on the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Nicholas earlier in the month at another mine.

In the end, only one mineworker on duty at the Darr Mine was spared that day. Mining remains a dangerous occupation, but thankfully the mining industry saw many changes shortly after 1907, partly as a result of the horrific tragedies of that year.

For more on the history of the Darr Mine and its disaster in 1907, see the American Hungarian Federation's webpage on the Darr Mine Disaster Commemoration or Ray Washlaski's webpages on the Darr Mine at the Virtual Museum of Coal Mining in Western Pennsylvania website.

Schuylkill County: a place that calls you back

"Had a vision in my sleep one night that I'd return there someday..."

Those words are part of the chorus of Lester Hirsh's eight-minute-long musical tribute to Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania: Pottsville and surrounding towns, the rivers Schuylkill and Susquehanna, and so many of the sights in the area.

The stanza that mentions the "brewery on the hill" refers to the famous Yuengling Brewery, America's oldest (since 1829).

Warning: you may not be able to watch this video without wanting to go for a visit. The history and beauty of Schuylkill County make it a magical place.



Thanks very much to Barbara Joly of Our Carroll Family Genealogy for finding and sharing this video.

Ready for battle: history for kids

I contacted one of my cousins a few months back to let him know that I was writing a blog about our shared family history. In the process of our correspondence via email, he told me about his young sons' interest in his wife's Revolutionary War heritage. The boys often played "war" and acted out what they knew about their family's involvement in the conflict that resulted in the birth of our nation.

Eager to compete with his wife's pedigree, my cousin asked me: "Do we have anything like that on our side of the family?" I was happy to be able to tell him of my discovery of the part that William & Thomas Cowhey played in another defining conflict in our nation's history: the Civil War.

I can only imagine the decision-making process of these two little boys now when faced with some free time to play. I would love to be there to hear their "historical" discussions. To play "Civil War" or "Revolutionary War"? How to decide?

One of the joys of discovering my family history and sharing it (through this blog and through other avenues) is the knowledge that the lives and stories of our ancestors will not be lost but will be passed down further through the generations. It is important to me that my children, nieces, nephews, second cousins, etc., etc. know and take pride in the story of their heritage, and have an appreciation for the sacrifices of those who lived before them.

I appreciate books and other resources that work to bring history alive to young people. On the Related Reading sidebars here at Small-leaved Shamrock and over at A Light That Shines Again and 100 Years in America I've included not only books that adults would find interesting to read, but also an assortment of children's books on related subjects.

There are so many amazing books related to Pennsylvania, the railroads, coal mining, the Civil War, and of course, all things Irish. Picture books like Brigid's Cloak: An Ancient Irish Story, S is for Shamrock, Look What Came From Ireland and Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato can be enjoyed by all ages. Chapter books great for relatively new readers include the Magic Tree House series' Civil War on Sunday and Viking Ships at Sunrise. More advanced young readers will enjoy the Bantry Bay series, Twenty Tales of Irish Saints or the classic Across Five Aprils. Students of Pennsylvania history will enjoy the photographs and true stories in Growing Up in Coal Country. And what lover of Irish heritage (no matter their age) could resist Color Your Own Book of Kells?

Websites that are designed to introduce children to various aspects of history and culture are always appealing to me. I've enjoyed the Pennsylvania State Archives' Doc Heritage website. The site uses images of actual historical documents to give students a perspective on the timeline of Pennsylvania history. In the Industrial Ascendancy segment of the site, for example, young readers are given glimpses into railroad riots, the struggle for women's suffrage, the plight of the Mollie Maguires, and the Great Depression, all through actual primary sources.

The Library of Congress' America's Story from America's Library is a great starting place (for those of all ages) to gain an understanding of our nation's history. Young websurfers can click on a state of their choice for a little history lesson in story form. Pennsylvania's includes a segment on the Civil War along with a link to an image of the earliest known draft of Lincoln's famous Gettyburg address. New Jersey's gives a look into how Irish heritage plays a role in the state via "pipers piping" Irish tunes. New York's section has a page focusing on early 20th-century immigrant life in New York City.

So many great history resources for kids - so little time.

How to choose?

Maybe the best place to start is just to get down on the floor with them, prepare for battle and then ask the question:

"Who wants to be the general?"

Image of Civil War lithograph "Battle of Lookout Mountain" courtesy of Towne Square Antique Mall.

On "poor Pat" and his emigration from Ireland

You may have read about my recent discovery of the passenger list of the ship William on which Patrick Cowhey traveled to America from Ireland. I was thrilled to find that document and receive a little glimpse into the travels of my 15-year-old immigrant ancestor back in 1823.

How surprised I was shortly after that to find a poem/song entitled "Poor Pat Must Emigrate". Published by A.W. Auner in Philadelphia (date unknown), the song details the sorrows and struggles of "poor Irish Pat" as he makes plans to emigrate from his native Ireland.

Here's a small excerpt:

Where is the nation or the land
that reared such men as Paddy's land?

Where is the man more noble
than they call poor Irish Pat?

...

But why should we be so oppressed
in the land of St. Patrick blessed.

The land from which we have the best,
poor Paddy must emigrate.

Part of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, "Poor Pat Must Emigrate" is only one of a handful of vintage songs and poems on their website written by and about the Irish of the 19th century. Check out their Poor Pat Must Emigrate: 19th-Century Irish Immigration webpages for more on the history of the Irish in the commonwealth, where Pat Cowhey finally made his home. Chances are he faced similar trials and pains as "poor Irish Pat" did, though he left the old country a few decades earlier.