to do this work. i would say that i was have much inspired since i lived in san francisco, california. we are a country of immigrants. in san francisco in particular, we have so many first generation americans. my husband is just became an american citizen a couple of months ago. i have friendlieds who are first generation from vietnam. palestine, israel. mexico, as i watch them struggling with their cultural identities and trying to maintain the identities and have the respect as the american citizens they are in this country, it got me to thinking about my family heritage and thinking about how history really does repeat itself. because i know that my people want through these same issues in the famine times when they came. and i thought to myself, why are not more of these stories being told? we need to collect these stories. i am at an age where my parents and their cousins, their siblings, they are getting close end of their life. one of the main ways i collect my info
1848, judith was ejected off a small farm by the landlords james and john parker. she wandered in want without shelter and entered her former abode on the 18th of august last. for this forceable possession shes tried and sentenced to 6 months confinement which punishment of and died of natural causes. eventually i find mention of the easterly of conwell evicting tenants in the near by town land. september 13, 1848 the newspaper says on monday last the agent of lord kwanwell attended by sheriff, police and bailiff evicted 9 families in 50 souls from the town lands near by. nothing could be more disstressing than to hear the clanking of the embarrass of the cabins mingled with the shrieks of women and children. i switch from reading the newspapers to the books i find james lacy of the books of lectural district of the poor law union. the library has most of the electoral district books for the 1840 s. they are beautiful leather bound books with copper writing and calligraphy. t
generation from vietnam. palestine, israel. mexico, as i watch them struggling with their cultural identities and trying to maintain the identities and have the respect as the american citizens they are in this country, it got me to thinking about my family heritage and thinking about how history really does repeat itself. because i know that my people want through these same issues in the famine times when they came. and i thought to myself, why are not more of these stories being told? we need to collect these stories. i am at an age where my parents and their cousins, their siblings, they are getting close end of their life. one of the main ways i collect my information is through oral history i knew time was on the essense. there were stories that would be lost if i didn t collect these stories immediately. and that s what i embarked upon doing. i grew up in brooklyn, new york. my experience was landing by birth into an urban town land. my family, my mother is first gen
i want first to introduce margaret cooley who writes nonfiction and poetry. also with us from boston but having stepped off the plain from dublina daniel to be lynn a writer at emer son college. i want to start by reflecting back that those of you folks endeavored to reveal hidden histories of your family lives. we have spoken in advanced of today s conversation. it s clear to me you pursued the stories of your families histories for decades through genealogical work and writing and reflection. i m wondering if can describe how you dot work you do and where the seeds of your curiousity, how they were planted and want compelled you to do this work. i would say that i was have much inspired since i lived in san francisco, california. we are a country of immigrants. in san francisco in particular, we have so many first generation americans. my husband is just became an american citizen a couple of months ago. i have friendlieds who are first generation from vietnam. pal
family know this information. i want to try to find out what it is. i didn t know at that time what i was undertaking. i heard it said with irish american it s not genealogy it s archaeology. i found out about that later. it s exciting to hear the nuts and bolts experience of discovery. and at the same time i know i heard from both of you that a very spiritual and unmeasurable experience happens of people come alive in the histories of your family s lives. i was wondering if you could bring alive for the audience the individuals or characters of your family s history and also if you can both reflect on this point that daniel s making of the importance in going to the lands and seeing what is there. what that experience was like for you personally. i thought i would read a bit at this point. i think this is a good point for that for me. and so you will hear a little bit of what my writings been like in this experience when i went to ireland for the first time in january of 2