Irish Roots

So we have roots somewhere right? Well in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day and to honor my grandma, I figured I’d share some of my colorful Irish history.

My great-grandpa, John Joesph O’Hanle, was born and raised in County Mayo in Ireland. We still don’t know exactly how old he was because his birth records were kept in a tiny church in his town that burned down, but we think he was born in 1888. He also changed his age routinely when he told stories.

Wanted in Ireland with a price on his head for gambling, he definitely didn’t come through Ellis Island. We think he might have snuck on a prison ship that was set to go to Australia. When the ship docked in South Africa, he stayed there and eventually became wanted there for gambling as well. Once again with a price on his head, he stowed away on a trade ship from South Africa and he made his way to Canada, and from Canada he crossed into the US illegally, and settled in Syracuse NY.

No doubt about it my great-gramps was a wild and rebellious guy (might be where I get it from). At the time, Irish immigrants were discriminated against so he dropped the O in O’Hanle and added a ‘Y’ to make it easier to find a job. He found one in a factory and one day tried to cross a picket line to get to work. When he tried to cross, the protestors broke his leg and he never fully healed from it. After becoming permanently injured, he became an abusive alcoholic.

My grandma’s memories of her dad were painful ones due to his alcoholism. To her credit, whenever he tried to come after her, she would threaten to call the authorities on him and get him deported.

My great-gramps had a creative way of getting into the US, but unfortunately his struggles of employment and alcoholism were common among many of immigrants his time.

My grandma never let her father deter her from celebrating her Irish roots and made every St. Patrick’s Day a fun event for us grandkids. I think it’s one of the many reasons that I’ve always been proud to be Irish and grew up listening to Irish drinking songs in March in my mom’s van (Sean O’Neill band is top notch btw).

I’ve always been a little obsessed with being Irish (don’t judge), but as my grandma said all the time, “if you’re lucky enough to be Irish, you’re lucky enough.”