Grandpa D and Me

By Mary Kearney Michalski

GRANDPA D AND ME - A SPIRITUAL REFLECTION

This book looks at the life of our grandpa, James P Delaney, who came to the States from Ireland at just 12 years of age and never saw his parents or most siblings again in this life.

It attests to my personal transformation

• Language: English
• Publisher: Irish Roots Run Deep Publishing
• Release date: Aug 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9798986526218

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

STRONG SHOULDERS TO STAND ON

An introduction into the life of James P. Delaney, my grandpa

Goodbyes and Crossing the Atlantic

Ellis Island and time in New York

Meeting Thomas Cribben, Grandpa’s sponsor

How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?

Dr. Seuss

And once upon a time.... a long time ago there was a young boy who left Ireland to come to the United States and start a new life, though he was only twelve years of age. This young boy became my grandfather and a most prominent figure in so many other lives. Many immigrants of the past and present had a similar experience to that of Grandpa’s. Sometimes life is just very hard and those determined to overcome and stick to the goal often achieve a remarkable and rewarding life experience. I dreamed of writing a book about Grandpa (James P. Delaney) for some time and because time is passing me by quickly, I better get it started.

In the early morning, March 10th, 1884, baby James P Delaney came into this world, close to the romantic shores of Galway Bay, County Mayo, the third-largest county in Ireland, with a wild and rocky Atlantic coastline surrounded with inlets and islands. He was the fourth child, and third son, of James Delaney Sr. and Marie Murphy, tenant farmers trying to make a living in still desperate times. His birth was followed by five more siblings, four brothers and one sister. This story begins when Grandpa, at twelve, and his fifteen-year-old cousin, Bridget Maloney, start their journey to the United States.

Grandpa and Bridget said goodbye to their parents, siblings, and homeland which was probably the most difficult part of the entire journey. Grandpa’s parents paid the sea captain the one-way fare of $40 for each of them for safe delivery to America. (Wikipedia pricing sheet). They boarded a ship at Cobh (Queenstown), Co. Cork, Ireland and sailed to Liverpool, England, UK on November 1, 1896. Here they boarded the ship Umbria and set sail for the USA. It took seven days to cross the Atlantic. They arrived safely at Ellis Island, on November 7th, 1896, after a harrowing nightmare of seasickness, loneliness, and being very hungry the entire trip.

This was just four years after the first arrival to Ellis Island by Annie Moore, fifteen years old and also from Ireland. Annie stepped foot on American soil on January 1st, 1892, the first day Ellis Island was opened. (More on Annie Moore and a little history of Ireland I will include in another book, Excerpts from the Roots of Grandpa D.) Annie is simply another example of a young Irish woman braving it all just to have a more acceptable style of living.

I often try picturing these two children, Grandpa and Bridget, as they boarded this enormous ship as it certainly had to seem to children. They were both soon seasick, but the trip seemed doubly difficult for Bridget. Did they stay on the deck looking back at the land until it was totally out of sight, wondering if they would ever see their home and family again? What did they think about as this ship rocked them back and forth vigorously with the powerful waves of the great Atlantic? Holy Mary, Mother of God! Were they terrified of drowning, never making it to this new land, or maybe never seeing their loved ones again? At least they had each other to hold onto. Perhaps they also anticipated the new and unexpected.

Grandpa and Bridget developed a powerful friendship on this voyage even though they were both so young. I continue to wonder if they slept in peace or did the fear of being swallowed up by the sea haunt their dreams? I often ask where did their minds wander? Did they try to picture New York from stories they may have heard? Could they even begin to imagine how boring Illinois might be from the stories they heard about the flat lands and plains of Central Illinois? Did fear of the unknown set in heavily the further out to sea they moved? Did pictures and images of Mom, Dad, and siblings dance in their dreams? Or did they simply take each day not knowing what the next day held for them?

Bridget Maloney, having left a twin sister back home in Ireland, wanted so much to succeed in the United States. Maybe her thoughts were of returning home to Ireland better off than she ever could have become by staying home. She also wanted to be a source of strength and comfort for young James, simply because she was older. She was a happy-go-lucky girl and at the same time a selfless adult. Grandpa would recall frequently that Bridget thought more about his well-being than her own. We all need someone to lean on and love us just the way we are and for no other reason. Grandpa had this gift of Bridget in his life from the beginning of his journey to the States.

Most of us had never even heard of Bridget’s twin sister until doing some ancestral digging. Being a twin likely made it even harder for Bridget to leave home as twins are often bonded at the hip, so to say. It had to be very hard for her to board that ship knowing she may never see, not only her parents again, but also her twin sister. We know they did not travel first class and the trip over was very difficult for these children.

Upon docking at Ellis Island, Grandpa and Bridget were quickly given their shots, checked for serious physical illnesses, and both were given a passed grade. They were then put on a ferry of sorts and delivered to NYC. There was a place there designated for all new arrivals to wait for their sponsors, and for these two it was Mr. Cribben. Neither Grandpa nor Bridget had ever seen this man, Thomas Cribben, who they were supposed to meet and live with in El Paso, Illinois. They knew nothing about him except that he agreed to be their sponsor in the States. I don’t know if Grandpa was anxious about meeting this man or even if he thought much about it.

Likely they stayed very close to one another for comfort. Was it cold at night? We know the nights in the States in November are likely a lot colder than the November nights of Co. Mayo, Ireland. It haunts me when I think of where they might have slept. (We know from research that Ellis Island had dormitories, but not sure of the setup in NYC.) There was no beautiful land or ocean waves, or gorgeous bodies of water carrying those soothing sounds that bring comfort for a night’s rest. There was no bleating of the sheep or other familiar sounds of livestock that can be heard on most any farm in Ireland, day or night. Grandpa seldom talked much about this particular time in New York, and maybe that was again because it was not a pleasant memory for him. Maybe that memory was another one he preferred to bury or just put deep enough inside so it did not haunt his life and time in the USA.

We know to travel by sea was difficult at this time for even an experienced sailor, let alone for children. As we spoke of earlier, the trip was a nightmare of seasickness for both, but especially for Bridget. Upon arriving in the USA and once they were on shore, James (our grandpa) reported he was very hungry. He had also been sick for most of the voyage. Being hungry when he went ashore, he began walking around and saw a man with a bunch of bananas and grabbed one and ate it, peeling and all. He had never seen a banana but knew it must be something good to eat. Up until his later days, one of his favorite songs was, Yes, We Have No Bananas Today! Grandpa loved his music. He had left Ireland but had not left the traditions and practices of his childhood or the dreams of a boy hoping one day to return to loved ones and the land of his birth. (Some info here from Pat Gaines Hursh, my cousin.)

So far, I have not said much about their trip while in New York. I cannot imagine what went through the minds of these children as they gazed at the tall buildings and even a skyscraper. New York was home to the first skyscraper which was built in 1889, the Tower Building, just a few years before Grandpa arrived in the States. There were streets, and they were wide with a type of cobble paving. There was a bustling of grand hotels, New York’s Theatre District, the Bowery, Madison Square, Times Square, and much more to see depending on how much of New York they actually saw. They certainly saw many sights they had never seen in Ireland regardless of where they walked in New York. The economy of New York prospered after 1896 until the decade-long Great Depression which began with the Wall Street stock market crash in 1929. This crash affected life all over the world and even back home in Ireland. Once again, I am not sure of all the sites they might have seen as they wandered gawking at the tall buildings and strange shops and sights of New York City. One thing for sure is this was all very strange and different from what they knew and were used to in Ireland.

Grandpa had likely heard his dad speak of Mr. Cribben because he was a first cousin to Grandpa’s dad. He had to trust that his dad was, at least, sending him to stay with someone who would be nice to him and take good care of him. Was Mr. Cribben kind or stern? Was he a big man who demanded a lot from others? Was he harsh and critical? Was Thomas’s wife going to try to take the place of their mothers and would she treat them like her own or be mean like some caregivers you hear about or read about in stories?

At least they had each other to share their fears and anticipations of what was yet to come. These children, already broken, were digging deep in their heart place, the core of their beings to find joy in this very new and strange experience. I have heard different dates as to when they arrived at the Cribben farm. One date is as early as November 9th, which tells us they could not have lingered long in New York before hooking up with Mr. Cribben. Another thing we know about this time was that Bridget was not recovering well from the trip across the Atlantic.

Grandpa, unlike a lot of the Irish coming earlier, spoke and wrote English as well as Gaelic and was well-educated for a twelve-year-old boy. Grandpa’s parents surely did not want to send their young James away, but also knew he could likely create a better life in the then good old USA. Perhaps because Grandpa was very healthy, bright, and precocious, he was the one chosen to go to the States. Did Grandpa feel abandoned by his family at this time, from all his loved ones, and all he knew? It is difficult to imagine all that must have been going on in the heads of these children. Bridget and Grandpa would be counted then among the many others who left Cobh (pronounced Cove) in County Cork, Ireland to start their journey to the states. Did they know or fear in their hearts that they would never see any of their family again? Were they excited at what might lie ahead for them?

Just saying their goodbyes and boarding the ship was already a major accomplishment for two children. They made it across the great Atlantic and that was the second major hurdle to getting here. The third major hurdle would be meeting and living with the Cribbens, their sponsor in the States. Their thoughts probably moved to what they might encounter in New York. How different from Ireland would this be and what if they did not meet up with their sponsor right away? Perhaps these shared thoughts helped diminish the homesickness they were both feeling. It was not an easy trip, but obviously, the seasickness they both encountered was not enough to have them detained at Ellis Island.

All immigrants did not have an easy time at Ellis Island. They had to pass a physical and mental health test and prove what they were saying was correct on the papers they were carrying. It is often reported only like 2% were detained though and sent back to their original countries. Now Grandpa, being a child, it would be understandable if he got lost in New York.

Grandpa told us that James Delaney Sr., his father, often worried about his sons being able to make a living in Ireland. Grandpa’s father spoke to his children of America as a land of great promise and kept in contact with his cousin who had come over earlier. Thomas Cribben had done quite well in the States and agreed to sponsor the children. He was the Supervisor of the primitive Woodford County which included El Paso, Illinois. Grandpa was lucky in as much that though he was leaving the family in Ireland, he had a relative waiting to take him in and put him to work right away on his farm in Illinois. He did not know anything about the Cribbens except they were relatives of his dad’s.

Bridget was young, beautiful, and just a bit frail, and as I alluded to above, the voyage over was very difficult for her, nothing like taking a trip today and enjoying all the sites and activities on the ship. They did not have the best accommodations on the ship. They slept in a lower deck and experienced a general sense of loss and fear. Though Grandpa might have felt he was abandoned by all those he loved, Bridget never tired of letting him know it would all be okay.

The only sure thing in their hearts and minds now was they had no clue as to what really might rest in their futures. Thank you, Jesus, they had each other for comfort and strength. They wondered how much they were already missed at home and how all those at home were doing without them. Maybe they also spent time wondering how much fun they might have once they landed in the USA. After all, even though this was all very difficult, it was also a time of wonderment, suspense, and surprise!

Yes, thank God, they had each other, is what this Grandma is thinking. I wonder too if the night angel guarded them as they tried to sleep in a world of fear, loneliness, and hunger for home. I will mention more about the night angel later in the book. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I certainly hope a gentle guardian angel filled their dreams with exciting thoughts and wonders as they tried to sleep with some hope for what tomorrow may bring. There had to be a source of comfort and strength beyond anything just from this land alone that protected and enabled them to cross the great Atlantic Ocean.

When I picture Grandpa and Bridget on this journey, I see them as if alone on a raft in the middle of the enormous body of water and with no one else around. Of course, that was not the case, and I don’t know why that dream sometimes haunts my imagination except for the fact of how young they were and how alone they must have felt. I honestly still cry sometimes when I think of what these children and so many today dare to do on their own. Obviously, hope and faith of what is to come conquered Grandpa’s fears as he arrived safely to a new land after that horrendous journey across the great Atlantic waves. Doesn’t thinking of the trials so many endured and are still going through today cause one to be ever more grateful for all the gifts in our lives? I certainly count my blessings when I think of Grandpa and the pain and burdens so many people still live day in and night out!

I pray the passengers looked at the children on board and had at least some pity on them or cared enough to keep an eye out for them. Yes, we can only hope and pray. The museum in Co. Cork, the Cobh Heritage Centre, has replicas of different types of ships that brought the Irish immigrants to the US. It also has information on the ill-fated Titanic and more. That museum is another place I would love to visit on a trip to Ireland. So that is another item on my bucket list, and I hope it becomes a dream fulfilled. Regardless of what the ship looked like, these kids were alone in their thoughts, mind and heart thinking, and in reality, as there was no other family, relatives, or friends there for them besides the gift each gave to the other. I wish I had been there to hug each good night and greet them with a warm and welcoming hug every morning. I wish I knew a lot more of the specifics of this trip, but I don’t and will likely never know them now.

DOCUMENTS OF GRANDPA’S JOURNEY TO THE STATES:

This record says Grandpa, James P. Delaney is thirteen years of age, but all other records show him as twelve. He was very tall so maybe they did not believe he could be just twelve years of age!

James and Bridget arrived here from Co. Mayo, Ireland, Monday afternoon. They were relatives of Supervisor Cribben from Palestine, of El Paso, Illinois and came here to make their home with him and his wife. They left Queenstown (now called Cobh) Sunday, Nov. 1st, and arrived seven days later in New York on a Saturday evening. They were booked through J.I. Kerr, of this city. New York officials, fearing they might get lost, had them plainly tagged. They stood the trip well and are a stout-looking couple of young folks.

This is a very old document, and the writing has faded badly, but it is still legible if you look very carefully. My sister Rita has this document, as it is, taped in Grandma’s Bible. Grandpa cherished this piece to forever remind him of his trip from Ireland. This document states Grandpa as a twelve-year-old boy arrived safely in the USA and as I mentioned above, looks stout and healthy. If those coming were not healthy enough, they were detained and sometimes for long periods. Grandpa treasured this memory because it reminded him of all he left behind.

Just an interesting side note: In 1849 to commemorate a visit to Ireland by Queen Victoria, the British assigned the name of Queenstown to Ireland’s coast. It was later changed to Cobh during the Irish War of Independence around July 2nd, 1920.

You will see there is some confusion regarding how old Grandpa was when he arrived on Ellis Island. Grandpa always said he was twelve when he came over and that is documented on most papers. If his birth record is accurate, and we have no reason to doubt it, this was his actual age.

Grandpa and Bridget were lucky enough to come over on a somewhat modern type of ship for that time, at least. It was modern in as much as it was not one of the earlier types of coffin ships many had traveled in prior to their coming. As a mom, my heart keeps going back to how difficult it was for Grandpa’s parents to accept the reality of sending their young son James away. Yet, his parents did just that with loving, generous, and selfless hearts. Grandpa’s parents and others like them had an attitude and courage that considered the future of their children worth this enormous sacrifice. They had to also have experienced serious anxiety of perhaps never seeing these children again. I cannot put my heart around such pain, nor imagine how difficult this was for so many parents. There are some traditions associated with these events of leaving home in Ireland and I will touch on more of them later or in my other book, Excerpts of the Roots of Grandpa D. Some of these traditions are so sad, the knowing of it will break the heart of any loving parent, grandparent, sibling, or anyone who really cares about children.

Grandpa’s family and many in Ireland were facing seemingly unconquerable difficulties but they were also aware of prejudices and problems for many an Irishman who traveled to the States at this time. There was no easy answer or solution to the poverty in Ireland, but those Irishmen just never gave up and always moved forward with formidable strength and a type of endurance we seldom see today. I suppose there may have been some excitement in seeking the unknown, but there was no joy in leaving parents, siblings, friends, and home and maybe never seeing them again. We are certainly seeing these gifts of strength and courage today in the people of Ukraine as well as in other areas of great famine and distress throughout the world like Ethiopia, Yemen, Syria and many more.

New York was the destination of many of the Irish at this time. Many also settled in the Massachusetts area depending upon which part of Ireland they were from. Most of the Irish coming over were Catholics even if in name only. A few settled farther west as Grandpa did to Illinois. That happened a little later and several years after the influx from the results of the great famine. I need to mention here that Grandpa and Bridget did hook up with Cribben, but only after roaming around in New York for a short time. They eventually found their way to El Paso, IL and the Cribben farm where their lives in the States were to begin.

Back to Grandpa and Bridget in New York. I imagine the Constables of New York wanted to keep an eye on them until they were properly placed. My facts here are second-hand knowledge but are very interesting and certainly add to Grandpa’s story. Can you imagine two children alone in New York knowing no one and everything is completely new and strange? Where did they sleep at night? What and where did they eat? I doubt they had lots of spare funds for doing whatever they wanted. They made it across the sea, but things were certainly not better yet. They were likely horrified as well as entertained and amused in New York. They had not yet arrived at the Cribben farm, and they are likely already wondering why they left Ireland?

Sister (Sr.) Joyce Rupp in one of her newsletters I receive monthly mentions a poem by the poet Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, Theologian, and Sufi mystic who speaks to our spiritual roots, shared these thoughts which are so fitting here. Rumi encourages returning to our core root of the Self and refers to our spiritual taproot as the core of our very being. This is the central core of goodness that grounds our existence. (Sr. Joyce Rupp, August newsletter, 2021). All of us are rooted in goodness just by our birth and being born as beloved creatures of our Creator, God of love, into a world that has been here long before our coming. I have many role models and deep roots from which to draw a wealth of knowledge, faith, and courage. Interestingly, just this morning’s scripture reading says, It is not good for the man to be alone. (Gen 2:18 NIV) We belong in society, and we need one another. Though Bridget was also young, she fulfilled this need for Grandpa at least for a while. Experiencing this kind of love and support helps one know he/she is lovable and enables us to move from one place in our lives to the next with at least some grace, courage, and confidence. I know Grandpa knew well how loved he was by his family in Ireland, and I pray the children immigrating today know someone from their homeland loves them dearly. If one has to conform to what someone else wants you to be, then something usually gets lost in that translation.

Grandma’s prayers are the reason a lot of us are still alive.

Taken from (Gramma’s Funnies)

but isn’t this the truth?

CHAPTER 2

THE JOURNEY HAS BEGUN: GRANDPA’S BEGINNING IN THE USA

This brilliant, discombobulated author

More about James Patrick Delaney

Living with the Cribbins; Bridget returns to Ireland

A difficult beginning in the USA

What drives our dreams and dealing with loneliness

Don’t let anyone dull your sparkle.

"We are dealing with so much.

In all things, in everything, at the end of the day,

give it to God and go to sleep."

(Linus)

Truly you will see throughout my writing that I am not a great writer, photographer, or anything else. I am definitely not a historian. I have only been to Ireland once and admittedly knew next to nothing about Ireland’s history until I made this trip. That was enough to whet my appetite, and upon my return, I really got into the depths of Irish history. If anything, I am a discombobulated writer, thinker, and actor in the playhouse of my mind. I am a gentle (but strong), kind, precious (just ask me) child of God, a farmer’s daughter, #6 of 13, former wife (widow), sweet Mom, a grateful and loving Grandma, lifelong educator, advisor, lover and teacher of life and many subjects including Scripture, (which has become my favorite study along with history, and it is exciting to continue to discover the many meanings within a single Scripture passage and the many incorrect uses of Scripture). I am a spiritual mentor, crisis phone counselor, a lifelong learner, good friend to many, volunteer vocalist for many occasions as well as volunteer for many other projects, always good for a long laugh and am an aspiring writer. Time will tell on that last one if this book does not kill me first. I was also a Director of Religious Education and a Campus Minister. And, of course, for the rest of my journey, I hope I can remain a sweet but rascally old lady who never gives up and especially never gives up on a dream that just could be.

Because I am not a historian or history major of any kind whatsoever and I do not claim to be, I ask the Irish or anyone who knows history well to just be gentle in judging me if I get their history a bit skewed or mixed up. I try not to write anything I cannot document. I think the title of my next book might be, How did I Get so Old and Know so Little History or something similar. I also wanted to title this book, The Discombobulated Reflections by a One-Eyed, One Winged, Wrong Way Irish American Grandma. That title is a bit long so I accepted what it is…...but you will see why I can legitimately refer to myself as a discombobulated writer, thinker, and most anything else. As far as the other characteristics mentioned there, I will explain each later. I have started two more books already, Excerpts from the Roots of Grandpa D. which just flowed naturally out of this book. My second spiritual reflection type book would be Growing up #6 of 13 and I hope to publish them fairly soon after this one. I also plan to add a companion booklet to this book that aids the reader in looking at their roots and determining how that can affect their dreams and what their dreams might mean for them today.

Strange as it may seem I am one of the worst persons ever with directions. I can get lost going around a city block and that is partly the reason I am called the nickname, wrong-way Grandma. I am certainly happy Grandpa was not like me and had a good sense of direction. My mom was terrible with directions also, but we always made it to where we wanted to be. Thank you, sweet Jesus!

Fortunately, children are usually filled with wonder and so maybe a child’s desire for adventure helped them along the way. Grandpa and Bridget were likely not aware of their inner gifts that allowed them to conquer fears, sadness, and anxieties about what lay ahead. They must have longed to see, feel, and touch the ones they loved, but they somehow held on to that promise of a better tomorrow and another opportunity just around the next corner, the next bend in the road, or under the next rainbow in the sky. Perhaps it was their dreams that sustained them.

Grandpa makes his home with the Cribbens

Our grandpa knew, as he had been told by his father, that Mr. Cribben needed help on the farm, but little did he know what lay in store for him. When Grandpa finally arrived at the Cribben’s home, surprisingly he was asked to sleep in the barn or the hay loft as Mrs. Cribben, Thomas’s wife, did not want him in the house. I learned this from some family members, and it breaks my heart to think this was the welcome he received after leaving his home, traveling across an ocean, and finally feeling at least he had a place to stay. I am not judging anyone here as these were different and strange times and one could easily feel a lack of trust in someone they had never seen before.

I don’t think any of us have a clue why this was the case except perhaps Mrs. Cribben was afraid to trust young James until she felt she knew him better. All I can say is Lord forgive us our neglectful and hurtful ways even when we think we are acting correctly. I suppose we all fall into that category from time to time: thinking we have just the correct solution when we might be pretty far off the mark. I have certainly been there too many times. Eventually, all worked out okay and Mr. Cribben or Thomas, grew to like young James a lot. Some shared that once settled, Grandpa not only worked for Cribben as his hired hand but also worked for neighbors for around $13.00/ month. Again, how ironic as some work for $13.00/hour or just a little more or less yet today.

Little did Grandpa know how much that hard work would one day help pay for all the sacrifices he made in his early years. Love, fear, anger, and all sorts of emotions must have driven him to achieve, and he did just that. He was already a remarkable person while still a young boy. Fear can be a powerful emotion that can drive us to be courageous and Grandpa certainly proved he was a very courageous young boy as well as a courageous man all his life!

Obviously, this part of Grandpa’s journey was different from immigrants coming today. Many coming today do not have a job waiting for them. Many coming today come illegally and are driven by fears so strong that nothing else matters except to find safety. Some come to relatives, and some get jobs and usually, they are jobs that many in the States do not want to work. While others feel these immigrants are taking valuable jobs away from them; it is all complicated. All of this causes problems, but surely, we can also find good solutions. There are obvious differences in why people immigrate, but the reasons for leaving their homelands and the accompanying fears are far too similar. There is much that needs to be worked out today to improve the immigration process in the States. Dear Lord, we pray for all trying to live in safety and freedom from oppressive societies.

Grandpa learned very early on in life that sacrifice helps build character and that life is just not always fair, but you take life as it comes and make the most of it. And most importantly, Grandpa knew how important it was to be faithful to your calling or what your heart and head show you to be the correct choice. We don’t see a lot of that stuff called stick-to-itiveness today and I think that is sad. There was a lot of that kind of sticking to your goals, seen in the determination/inspiration of many of the Irish and especially the Irish immigrants. They never had it easy, but they kept on going without complaining and grumbling. Many of them kept building and creating while drawing from their roots and thus forming a sense of unity and community that is so important to an Irish nation or any nation. They did this under extreme hardships of poverty, discrimination, and all kinds of difficulties while just striving to make a decent living for themselves.

Looking at Grandpa’s time with the Cribbens, we believe he had some time to be a child even while working as a hired hand and in school. His life was not all one of work and sacrifice. He formed some friendships at school and hopefully enjoyed being a boy, at least just a little before returning home in the evening to the hard chores at the farm and helping with whatever was needed. Perhaps he was fortunate that in working such hard and long hours, he could more easily fall asleep and then dream of his parents and his home in Ireland. He could also dream of what might come next for him in the States. I hope he let his dreams soar to give him hope for a better tomorrow or at the end of a beautiful rainbow. I certainly recall many times in my life when I let my dreams soar so I could keep my spirits alive and fully ready to plow ahead.

Mrs. Cribben finally learned to trust Grandpa and he became a part of their family. She was not prejudiced against the Irish as she and her husband were also from Ireland and even relatives of Grandpa’s family. Our human nature sometimes just interferes with correct thinking, and we seem to forget we are here for each other. There is that obstacle or gift again, our human nature, always a part of us no matter how hard we try to be free of it. This may be like my discombobulated style of thinking and writing! Taking care of our spiritual and emotional needs is something we can never ignore.

We are always a work in progress! Obviously, Mrs. Cribben did not trust this young lad at first and was afraid to let him roam free in their home. Likely, Grandpa also had reservations regarding this new family and questioned why he left his parents and Ireland to live with this family in the States. Sometimes as older people we just have a hard time changing our routines and that just might have been the case for Mrs. Cribben. I like to think so at least. Eugene Delaney included in his work in Appendix B, a paper on the Cribben family in Ireland. They were very well thought of and a family of some means. They were certainly not a family that hid any wrongdoings or shied away from hard work. To know more about Thomas Cribben, read the piece on him by Eugene Delaney.

Grandpa was very lucky as he probably did not experience a lot of discrimination like so many of his fellow Irishman coming over at this time. A lot of that is because he lived in the country on a nice farm and was protected from the biases experienced in the cities and from so many people who did not want these poor and so-called ignorant immigrants from Ireland occupying their land. Yes, Grandpa had a sponsor and a place to live and work when he arrived. Hmmmm, and many of