The meaning of memory

January 15, 1998

Dear Ilsa,

Time flies so swiftly that I could not believe that you’ll be leaving soon.  It is an opportunity for you, experiencing many new avenues.  I know that you will find this experience a growth one, unless one grows he ceases to live. The history of our ancestors never ceases to amaze me as new material about Ireland comes my way….Our Celtic forefathers were our ancestors, McManus and Murphy.  Our immediate ancestors were Northern people, McManuses emigrated from Conaught, western border of Ulster from seaport Galway and the Murphys from Ulster (Donegal). We may assume that generations of our family lived in this beautiful isle - the names were listed as native Celts who had retained Roman Catholic religion after reformation in 16th century.

Later the Gaelic system broken down by the British caused some original families to move westward. From studying map of Ulster in relation to other Irish divisions this is a possibility for both McManuses and Murphys. The McManus family listed in Fermanagh western edge of Ulster could have easily moved into the neighboring division where Galway, a seaport, is located.  Murphys could have moved a few miles to Donegal which borders Tyrone. Both families moved to Scotland around 1850 into Kilmarnick, Scotch seaport, both living here until the oldest sons of the McManus family and Murphy family made the trip together to America - early 1880s.

Memory has a curious meaning to me which I have found many others do not share, they care little for their ancestral heritage.  Ireland was a land of beauty but also one where these early people found difficulty even finding enough food, a land constantly in turmoil with each other and later the English but it produced strong people who have never lost their love for their land, still had strong beliefs and a fierce attachment for Roman Catholic Religion.  Now Irish in America are letting time separate them from this lovely isle which housed their ancestors for hundreds of years. 

Love and always with me, 

Grandma

Draft letter to me shortly before I left for my semester abroad.