I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen--Revisiting my Irish Family History by Kathleen L. Maher

Map of Ireland

If you're Irish, come into the parlor! And if you're not, you get a pass anyway, since it is estimated that more Americans identify themselves as having Irish heritage than any other ancestry, with the exception of German Americans. But we're a generous lot. You can all be honorary Irish this month!

Irish Immigrants facing NYC skyline

Being a lover of history and proud of all the Irish blood that's in me, naturally I wanted to learn about my family's beginnings in this country. I uncovered some great moments in the life of one of my mother's people, John Francis Cronin.

My mother's father's father came over to escape the Potato Famine in 1849. I am the youngest of the youngest of the youngest, so there is only four generations between me and the boat that brought my ancestor John Cronin to America. He landed and settled in New York City with his family. At the age of 15 he enlisted to fight in the Civil War, telling the recruiting officer he was eighteen years old. John mustered with the famous NY "Fighting 69th" regiment, and saw action at the Fall of Petersburg, was present at Appomattox Courthouse, and marched in the Grand Review in Washington on May 23, 1865.

Grand Review at Washington

My great grandfather went on after the war to make his living as a hatter. The expression "mad as a hatter" came about from exposure to mercury used in shaping the felt to make the hats. Since the element acts as a neurotoxin, it can and did deteriorate a hatter's brain. From family stories it is hard to say which affected my great grandfather more, that or the drink, since he was the proprietor of a tavern later in life.

John Cronin and his saintly wife Elizabeth Cropp Cronin lived in and around New York City and went on to have 11 children, four of whom never lived past the age of five. My grandfather Vincent Cronin was his seventh son.

NY 69th Memorial at Gettysburg

Involved with the planning of the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City during his life, he marched with the veterans of his regiment every year up to his old age. In fact, his last St. Paddy's Day parade he contracted pneumonia and died shortly thereafter.

The Irish in America have a long and colorful history. The early immigrants  fought our wars, built our bridges and railroads, and worked mines and farms and factories. Their hard work and diligence paved the way for future generations to gain acceptance and contribute in every facet of society.

rural farmhouse print giveaway

In the words of Gerald O'Hara, Scarlett's father, "It's proud I am that I'm Irish. And don't you be forgetting, missy, that you're half Irish, too. And to anyone with a drop of Irish blood in them why, the land they live in is like their mother."
In the spirit of that love of the land, I am giving away a print of a rural farmhouse today to one lucky commenter. This reminds me of my own farmhouse here in upstate NY, as we wait for spring to take hold.

Kathleen L. Maher writes historical romance set in the 19th Century, and is represented by Terry Burns of Hartline Literary Agency. She won ACFW's 2012 Genesis contest, and has a novella coming out May 1st through Helping Hands Press titled Bachelor Buttons, about the Irish Draft riots in Manhattan during the Civil War.

And don't forget that Christian Fiction Historical Society is running a giveaway for the month of March. For every comment you leave in the month of March you are entered for a Kindle drawing as well as a $25 Amazon gift card. Winner of farmhouse print will be announced tonight at midnight. Good luck!