Play polka, not polka, poker. And lynched to john gibbons play an accordion on his wooden leg. You had the sense of people having come over if not in mass by a great number to this other place with a kind of echo of that place being transposed into the world that became my world. So that of my mothers side of the family. My fathers side was more mysterious. Over time i heard stories of lost aunts and saint john new found land which is not where they are from and a deeper echo further back. I had my grandfathers passport from 1918, you could smell the must on it. All of the mysterious presences were there. My fathers side was a mystery which we will get to eventually. And the third component is similar to what margaret was talking about. I Irish American. I didnt know what a pure american was. None of my friends were pure americans. A lot of my friends were lebanese and from syria. I had yewish and Irish American friends. All of our identities were mixed. My sense of being american was
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 todays conversation. Its clear to me you pursued the stories of your families histories for decades through genealogical work and writing and reflection. Im 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. Palestine, israel. Mexico
Play polka, not polka, poker. And lynched to john gibbons play an accordion on his wooden leg. You had the sense of people having come over if not in mass by a great number to this other place with a kind of echo of that place being transposed into the world that became my world. So that of my mothers side of the family. My fathers side was more mysterious. Over time i heard stories of lost aunts and saint john new found land which is not where they are from and a deeper echo further back. I had my grandfathers passport from 1918, you could smell the must on it. All of the mysterious presences were there. My fathers side was a mystery which we will get to eventually. And the third component is similar to what margaret was talking about. I Irish American. I didnt know what a pure american was. None of my friends were pure americans. A lot of my friends were lebanese and from syria. I had yewish and Irish American friends. All of our identities were mixed. My sense of being american was
This place to visit their distant cousins. They knew exactly where it was. I was thinking that was a year after my Irish American family came here. Why dont my Irish American family know this information. I want to try to find out what it is. I didnt know at that time what i was undertaking. I heard it said with Irish American its not genealogy its archaeology. I found out about that later. Its 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 familys lives. I was wondering if you could bring alive for the audience the individuals or characters of your familys history and also if you can both reflect on this point that daniels 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 f
He didnt answer. You know its a fake; right. This car, he said is revered in america. They are quite rare much i recognize this car it was a prop in one of my movies. This was the car he was escaping i saw kissed a trader in the back seat. How did you get this thing off the property lot . One switch in the road above the gardens and they were at her house. Inside the children were asleep and he pulled a bottle of [inaudible] from the cool place under the sink he held it with a hand whos combukelled fanned yellow. You have chosen to become a man born to violence. He answered it was the commander who chose me. Okay sun moon said i will turn down the sheets for us much the bed faced a balcony over looking the mountain. Across the river was a glow much the 2 disrobed and entered where they lay awake waiting until 10 oclock. Its a common misconception that listening devices turn off in the power. With a can of peaches the kalt rad had given them. When the house and city below went dark moon