Family History

After our visit to the Dunbrody yesterday, we wafted around New Ross in the rain, looking like Druid ghosts in our ponchos. As we crossed the bridge from the center of town to the Rosbercon section, heavy traffic passed us in both directions. Luke turned to me and said, as only a 12-year-old can, "Mom, the people in the cars are staring at us!" Yes, and we're dry. These ponchos are the one of the best purchases I've ever made.

Stop the presses: It's rained quite a bit since we've been in Ireland. To the point where the Irish are apologizing to us. "It's been cold here, even for us," said one of our relatives. But we don't mind. The rain is mostly gentle and when it's not, it's invigorating. The weather and atmosphere are so enchanting and ever changing here. More on this later.

It was John's good idea to pay a visit to New Ross, mainly because we have relatives that come from this area. With the help of his cousin who lives in Dublin, we set off in search for the grave of his grandmother's brother, Patrick Dunne. He is buried in the church cemetery in Rosbercon, the parish where John's grandmother was baptized in 1873. It was only 1.5 miles from our hotel, and the famine ship Dunbrody was on the way, so we decided to walk. With the help of Google maps and friendly Irishmen, we found the church, which wasn't the original. But there was a cemetery next to the church and look what was there.

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The grave of John's great uncle Patrick! And though his father Thomas is mentioned on the stone, we aren't sure if he is really here. Patrick's sister, Annie, who was John's grandmother, his dad's mother, came to the United States in 1892. She later sent for her mother, Johanna and another brother, Thomas. But many of the relatives stayed here.

We tromped around another nearby older cemetery, looking for other family graves. When we came up empty, we asked a gardener working across the street if he had any idea about where the Dunne's might be buried. He said no, but pointing to a building said, "Knock on that door and the owner will be able to help you." This is how we had the good fortune to meet Jamie Doyle of Doyle's Funeral Home. Jamie brought out some ancient-looking records that showed a Nellie Dunne buying a plot in a country cemetery.

The name Nellie Dunne is written on line two.

Jamie offered to take us there the next day and show us the Brownstown location where the Dunne's were from. "I lived in the United States for seven years," he said. He worked as a tiler, but came back to Ireland to take over his family's funeral home business. "People in the United States were so good to me," he said.

"You're cracked," he said when we told him we walked to the cemetery from Brandon House, where we were staying. "I'm headed there to take my daughter to swimming. I'll give you a lift." So we hopped in the back of his van, grateful to not have to walk home in the rain. As we passed the gardner who directed us to him, Jamie called out to him from the van," I've got the Americans in the back!"

John and I rode in the back of Jamie's van with the grave digging equipment. Luke was up front with Jamie and his darling daughter Sarah Kate.