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*PENAL CROSS 1722*
A VERY RARE FIND
SHOPPING
FOR THE FIRST TIME
for more on our
trip, see below
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*NORTHERN IRELAND*
GIFT OF FREEDOM
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What were they? The 'Rising', the 'Troubles', the 'Penal Times'. Why did my husband's Irish mother respond the way she did when national news reviewed these times. I didn't understand and she wouldn't say anything when asked. Her father brought her, as a little girl, to Boston in the early 1900s. Why? + UNDERSTANDING THE 'PENAL TIMES' This was our first trip to Northern Ireland and probably was the best. We loved our trips to Southern Ireland (Republic of Ireland). It is so beautiful! We had family there and it was wonderful to follow the family roots. We spent Euros and saw hundreds of old ruins surrounded by beautiful, rolling green fields. Ruins of ancient churches, monasteries, homes and wondered - why? We dodged hundreds of sheep that would not move out of the sun warmed roads. But the underlying thought was, ‘what really happened when these churches and monasteries were destroyed so many 100s of years ago - standing like timeless sentinels reminding us of the ancient past? + I basically knew about the more recent ‘Troubles’ (60s on) but not much. I could have told you the ‘Red Coats’ (British) tried to take over Ireland for centuries by destroying their (Gaelic) language, burning their churches and killing the Catholic priests and nuns - and taking over their land but I really didn't understand the personal human suffering. I didn't know it went back at least 800 years! + I remember reading about Henry the VIII and Katherine of Aragon unable to have an heir, a son, his eventual turn away from the “Papist’ church by starting his own church, the Church of England so he could marry Ann Bolin. + My husbands mom, from Roscommon, spoke of the Potato Famine (believed to be the work of the English) and the sickening loss of life. + I recently learned about the migration of the ‘Wild Geese’, the young Irish men who left Ireland to protect their family name, only to eventually marry in the new land, never to return to Ireland. Yet they left an amazing Irish heritage to grow from these new roots in America. But it all really never came together. + I knew enough not to have any real interest in going north to Belfast and Londonderry. But we went. |
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(the land of the British Pound) We landed in Dublin then drove up the rocky and beautiful coast to Belfast, the land of the British Pound, where we spent 4 days. When we checked into our lovely B&B, our host was in pretty bad shape. He had been in Dublin over the weekend, was robbed, beaten up and left for dead. All he could do was apologize to us for the way he looked but he was the only one there who could check us in. Over the next 4 days, he improved quickly and didn't lose his smile. But it was quite a welcome for us and the children - to Northern Ireland from this very gracious man. + THE NORTHERN COASTLINE
On Palm Sunday we took the city tour on a bright red double-decker bus. It was quite an eye opener. It was windy and cold and cut through any sense of comfort. Our tour guide said that Belfast was, "like a patchwork quilt of communities, Protestant and Catholic." I knew the terms 'Protestant' and 'Catholic' were terms that really were more political that religious. More England and Ireland, but used a lot. +
We passed a police truck with its lights flashing and our double decker tour bus stopped - but we were nodded on after some discussion. Another police car slid by with lights flashing - and our tourguide melted as she said quietly ‘I hope it isn't starting again’. + My thoughts turned to the 'Easter Rising' that took place in 1916 and we were there during Easter, a time when some local folks came unglued. I looked at my children and grandchildren in the tour bus and prayed for protection! + HONORING BOBBY SANDS
Our tour of the city took us by lots of murals on the sides of buildings, depicting the heroes of the time when Ireland was fighting for its freedom from England early last century, including the Civil War. Black masked gunmen were pictured everywhere. + WALL MURAL DEDICATIONS
Some even touched on American politics, that was a bit jolting! Those I did not take pictures of. Just seemed out of place. + WHERE TITANIC WAS BUILT
We saw the shipyard where the Titanic was built and the tour guide told us the no Catholics helped build that ship. If you were Catholic and slipped into the work force and found out, it would be your end. When asked if they, the Irish, felt badly about the plight of the Titanic, our tour guide said smiling, ‘the answer around here is ‘It was fine when it left Ireland!’ + ENTERING THE CROWN BAR
After that unnerving experience, it was time to sit in one of the warm 'snugs' (sometimes referred to as 'Confessionals) we had read about - at the famous Crown Bar where they have been serving guests since 1826. It was time for a fitting lunch and soothe the nerves with a testing of the pouring of the Guinness. This magnificent bar is now owned by the National Trust. |
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(the land of the Pound) On leaving Belfast, we headed for Derry. Derry, also known as Londonderry, is a walled city and has quite a history of its own. In the ongoing battle with the English for freedom, there is a history of encounters. One of the most recent was in an area called Bogside where we stayed. (We had no idea that this event, called ‘Bloody Sunday’ happened within a block of our B and B in the 70s. +
YOU ARE NOW ENTERING FREE DERRY We passed a large white sign, shaped like the side of a building that read ‘YOU ARE NOW ENTERING FREE DERRY’. It was next to where we were staying so passed it several times. One of the times there were two men standing next to this huge sign. +
The orange of the north and the green of the Republic (South) really hit home. (The left hand image is the other side of the FREE DERRY sign.) + At night we were told to move the car from in front of the B & B where we stayed. Car bombings were not unusual in this area so Vernon moved it to a secure lot behind the B and B. All was fine, but the thought remained, after our rough beginning! + Again, all through this area of the city we saw mural after mural telling the story of the IRA (Irish Republic Army) and their attempt at a civil rights march. Many images were of those murdered in 1972 during Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday was tragic. The intention was to march unarmed. And the British soldiers gunned down 14 people, seven were teens - injuring more than 27 more - (Look it up on Google) - all to make Ireland a safer place for their children. + BATTLE OF BOGSIDE We stayed at the Abbey B & B in Bogside. Our host and hostess was a beautiful couple, Helen and Seamus Kennedy. On the coffee table in the living room there was a paper back book called the Battle of Bogside. It was packed with black and white pictures of ‘Bloody Sunday’. Paula showed us a picture of herself in the book. Then she showed us a picture of her little brother. Then she said, ‘see this little boy sitting in the front row holding a banner? His uncle was killed in the massacre of Bloody Sunday. He was so touched he joined the IRA and himself was also killed. He was a friend of ours’ I guess it hit me hard as realized everyone in, not only that picture but on each page of that book had a story. + OUR TOUR OF DERRY WITH MARTIN When we showed interest in the area, Seamus insisted we take a tour of the area. He called Martin McCrossan of Irish Tour Guides. It was a 3 hour wait before he was free to return the call. He came right over. We went in two cars, both with excellent guides. It was worth the wait. + Martin had been selected as the best guide in all of Ireland by the National Tour Board. Martin opened up the history of Derry for us with tragic clarity. We traveled along barbed wire covered walls that divided the homes of Protestants and Catholics. Now and then he wouldn't look at us and it was during this time, I began to cry. He had personally suffered through it. He is Catholic, his wife Protestant and he shared, ‘you cannot live in Derry if you have this mixed marriage’. +
One of the statues
he showed us was of two men reaching out to one another, hands almost touching
called HANDS ACROSS THE DIVIDE. (North and South). I asked him if these
times he was telling us about were related to the 'Penal Times' (thinking
of the work on our website) and he responded with a very strong 'YES!'
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*SOUTHERN IRELAND* |
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(the land of the Euro) + Well, so did this spot - give us hope on another gloomy day heading South. There was a huge rainbow in the sky between this mountain and us, so close you felt you could reach out and touch it! Such a gift of hope! + NEAR LOCH DERG
And so near Loch Derg where the island retreat called St Patricks Purgatory is and the Penal Crosses shown here had their birth as souvenirs hundreds of years ago! (The rainbow did not photograph but some things are simply between God and the moment! + I had another awakening. Although we were in the Irish Republic, we found how much overall involvement there really was. When people would ask us where we had been and we said Derry and Belfast. They opened up and shared personal stories that tied the north and south into one. This had never happened before during our trips to Ireland. In the past, we were 'tourists' only - visiting family and seeing the country. But this opened up a whole new intimate page of hard times and sacrifice, all so that they and coming generations, their children would have a place to live in freedom. + One man said his father was part of a group that discovered guns being smuggled into Northern Ireland from Southern Ireland for the British Troops. Others spoke of relatives in Northern Ireland that had been killed even in Dublin during the 'Easter Rising" or ‘Troubles’ – or – had relatives who left Ireland for America. North and South were linked closely in this desire for freedom and it was beginning to come home into my family. + AWARD WINNING FILMS For an in depth look at this period of Irish history, see in this order: 1.MICHAEL COLLINS (pre 1920s). (filmed in 1996 - Liam Neeson) 2. THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY same period, (filmed in 2002 - Cillian Murphy) and of course, 3. BLOODY SUNAY (1972) which is about Bogside (filmed in 2007starring James Nesbitt). |
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IT WASN'T JUST HISTORY How many times did I hear this desire for freedom, willing to be martyred, really was - so future generations, their children would be able to live in freedom. I realized that my children and my Irish husband and his brother and sisters were apart of that generation of ‘children’, even though now Americans, who these brave and beautiful Irish people were willing to give their lives for. + I thought of Pete’s Irish mother (Della Marie Fallon) or ‘Mamó' to the grandkids’ (Grandmother is seanmháthair, máthair mhór or Mamó [mamó]) . I thought of her father bringing her from Roscommon to Boston as a child. I thought of other family members who did made it to America and had a much better life than promised in Ireland in the early 1900s during the 'Rising' and later the 'Troubles'. I wondered how her father died when he returned to Ireland and was unable to bring any more of his children to Boston. Was he involved in the fight for freedom? Will we ever know? + HARVESTED PEAT SOD STACKED TO DRY
I thought of the life Mamó had in America, even through WWII, married to a Submarine Naval Officer, not knowing half the time if he was alive or dead. - and of her children and now their children who live in freedom today because of him and others like him. + And why did my children's dad, who was also a military career officer like his dad, have the name ‘Collins’ in his name (Pierre Steele Colice Collins Joseph, Francois Leon Blair) which always brought smiles to our faces, 'why so many names,' dad? + I never put the two together, Collins? Michael Collins? But wondered why his Irish mother chose that name, knowing - she assured us she had chosen each name carefully - after a relative or someone important. The time was right. Regardless, I have new respect for it.
I thought of our children and how we spend our freedom daily. How little they, we know about those now nameless men and women who made it possible for us to live in this freedom here in the US, too. How often do we wonder who they were and prayerfully send grateful thanks to each of them whereever they may be. These countrymen and women are our brothers and sisters in Christ, the family of God - members of the Communion of Saints that spans heaven and earth. + IRISH PROCLAMATION -1916 I was taken by the families in the Republic of Ireland (Southern Ireland) who had proudly framed their Irish Proclamation on their wall that reads: + IRISHMEN AND IRISHWOMEN: In the name of God and of the dead generations from which she receives her old tradition of nationhood, Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for her freedom. SEE BELOW + GIANT'S CAUSEWAY
And I could not, like most adults or our children in school today, tell you what the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, the DECLARATION of INDEPENDENCE or the BILL of RIGHTS says! Cetainly have not seen it proudly hanging on any walls of private homes in our country! Yes saw it in DC years ago but shamefully, not recently when we are in dire need of its leadership. WE must get back to our founding fathers and understand their message before it is too late. There is so much to learn from history. + Is there a parallel here? I thought and pondered this the rest of our trip. |
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Would I go back to Northern Ireland? Oh yes! In a heartbeat! It is beautiful country and the people are very dear! Ireland is mystical! + 40 SHADES OF PEACEFUL GREEN
Certainly we know this from our own involvement in two World Wars during the 20th century, preceded by the spilling of blood on our soil during the Civil War, the Revolutionary War and our own break for freedom from England in the late 1700s. + Everyone has a similar history of generations who fought so coming generations could live in freedom. Many in the world are in the midst of the fight of their lives. But I had to wonder if we ever take the time to send up a prayer of thanksgiving on their behalf? Do we appreciate what they have done to give us the greatest gift of all, our freedom? Is this why Ireland is so mystical? Is this the seed of the martyrs? All these were thoughts working in my head as we wove in and out the country side of Ireland, through the Causeway, Galway Bay, and back to Dublin Airport. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE
GIFT!
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*GENERATIONS* |
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So much to think about! So much to be grateful for! Yes it was a powerful wake up call that I want my children to hear, too, and all who take freedom for granted. Such a peaceful scene below with the children feeding the calf, helps us realize how blessed we are! + NATALIE AND JAMES PREPARING THE FEED
They even had a chance to play Wii on one of the computers at the B&B while we older folk baked in front of the hot, peat fire, healing our sore muscles and cold bodies before going back out to dinner in that cold, damp April weather. |
PS - here we are! Gramma is really not that short, she is surrounded by tall Irish blooded people (am I the only one that is not Irish?) - Vernon, behind me, is 6'7" and you have to love the name of the restaurant! And now, Nat and James (left) are over 6.4 and basketball is the game, just like their dad! + COULDN'T RESIST THIS ONE BELOW
Look at those Fiats! He had more! This was out the window of the B&B in Dublin, and just had to smile, thinking what a great time he is having collecting them! |
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*ROSARY DIRECTORY* |
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An overview of the rosary crosses of Ireland |
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Unique tubular crucifixes in silver, influenced by the Spanish trade from the Hunt. |
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18c Penal Rosaries and crosses, a mini history with pictures. |
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Rosaries of amber and ivory, from the 1700s - 1800s |
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*PENAL CROSS 1722*
LOOKING BACK
SHOPPING A rare find!
Th earliest of the Penal Crosses we have seen so far. They tell us these
were carved from wood at Loch Derg (St Patricks Purgatory) for souvenirs
for those who came on retreat to the little island in the middle of the
lake where we saw the awesome rainbow in front of the mountain. Remember?
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~ PROCLAMATION of 1916 ~
To the people
of Ireland.
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Each one who signed the above document was executed by the English for treason - not unlike what happened to our own men who signed our right to independence. I could so easily sub 'America' while reading the words below - as our republic, our nation is in peril today. + IRISH CONSTITUTION In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, from Whom is all authority and to Whom, as our final end, all actions both of men and States must be referred, We, the people of Éire, Humbly acknowledging all our obligations to our Divine Lord, Jesus Christ, Who sustained our fathers through centuries of trial, Gratefully remembering their heroic and unremitting struggle to regain the rightful independence of our Nation, And seeking to promote the common good, with due observance of Prudence, Justice and Charity, so that the dignity and freedom of the individual may be assured, true social order attained, the unity of our country restored, and concord established with other nations, Do hereby adopt, enact, and give to ourselves this Constitution. + Had we not gone to Northern Ireland and experienced what we did, I doubt if the Irish Constitution (above) would hold my heart like it does. Both Republics, both recognizing and acknowledging the Divine Lord, Jesus Christ over all. We must never let go of these truths our families fought so hard to give us! + ALSO READ CONSTITUTION - UNITED STATES |
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~ FOOTNOTES ~ |
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Right after we returned, I was going to purchase soccer shirts for the kids to save on shipping and tax, had them lined up then read this and decided not! Press release related to the death of a man (catholic) at the hands of soccer players from the north. It all flooded back and I realized, its not over yet! These ongoing troubles remind us too clearly, that the oppression is still alive and well. Within weeks of our return home, we read:
PRESS RELEASE (May
25,2009)
Understanding the problems is not easy as Fr O'Connor told us years ago, that this was not a religious war, but a political war. A war between England and Ireland. The Irish wanted their freedom from England and this is the way it divided up.
PRESS RELEASE (June
23 09)
Liam Clarke says
the claim that the the sympathetic response to the unfortunate Roma people
who were driven out of their homes in Belfast is "the real Ulster" misses
the point. Clarke says that "[m]arking out streets and areas of land as
the territory of one community and driving out those who, for one reason
or another, don’t fit, runs very deep in Northern Ireland. It is not new,
and the Roma are not its first victims."
MATTHEW
5:43-45
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