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A savvy traveler in 1953 to Eire from rural Minnesota packs a transportable 35mm digicam, Kodachrome slide movie, and different necessities for world journey. That’s precisely what my father did earlier than heading to the island of Eire.
My late father Martin, nicknamed Marty to keep away from confusion along with his father, Martin J. Walsh Sr., made our household’s first recognized return journey house to Eire in 1953, recording his adventures with Kodachrome and his Clarus 35mm digicam.
A local of Murdock, Minnesota, my father was 28 on the time and dealing as a railroad telegrapher, speaking with Morse code in Minnesota for the Nice Northern and Burlington Northern Railroad. He would proceed working for a similar railroad, 1943 -1984, solely the title modified to Burlington Northern Railroad.
Our household was a part of a primarily Irish immigrant settlement in De Graff, positioned in rural Swift County, Minnesota, arriving within the late 1800s. This was the primary in a collection of ten villages in 5 counties in western Minnesota established by the late Saint Paul Archbishop John Ireland, serving to Irish Catholic households like mine escape from city slums, and resettling in farmlands in rural Minnesota.
Once I was a baby, my father, telling tales of our household’s historical past and connection to the island of Eire, would say, “We’re Archbishop John Eire’s folks.” It simply occurred to be the Archbishop’s final title was the identical because the nation my folks left behind within the mid-1800s.
My household is without doubt one of the 4 thousand Catholic households Archbishop Eire assist resettle in west central and southwest Minnesota throughout the years of 1875-1885. Archbishop Eire’s targets had been to alleviate the perceived issues of nativist prejudice (anti-immigrant), poverty, and lack of faith confronted by city Catholics (significantly Irish) on the east coast and poor Catholics nonetheless in Eire by relocating them to low value farmland in western Minnesota.
In the present day, I dwell simply three miles from De Graff, in Murdock, Minnesota, in the identical home my father was born in 1924. You’ll be able to be taught extra concerning the De Graff and the historic Church of St. Bridget at the US Division of the Inside, National Park Service website. The Library of Congress in Washington, DC has an in depth presentation on Irish-Catholic Immigration to America to discover extra particulars on immigration.
My father didn’t have a profession in pictures, however his unimaginable 1953 Kodachrome photos survive as we speak, giving a glimpse of his expedition to Eire.
His love of journey and pictures had been handed on to my brother Paul M. Walsh and in addition me, each working as photojournalists, and careers associated to pictures and media. In the present day I do know extra about my father and his journey to Eire just because my father recorded what he encountered along with his 35mm digicam and Kodachrome.
You’ll be able to view extra of my father Martin J. Walsh Jr.’s pictures of Eire here on Flickr.
I think about my father as a really proud younger man with the unimaginable alternative to see the homeland of his household in Eire in 1953. I do know his go well with pockets had been filled with essential journey objects as he wrote particulars on the border of considered one of his 1953 Kodachrome slides from Eire.
My father’s US Passport, issued February 6, 1953, lists no spouse or youngsters. The outline of the passport bearer, my father, is 5 toes 11 inches, brown hair, hazel eyes, with no distinguishing marks or options. His location of beginning is listed Murdock, Minnesota, with an occupation of telegraph operator.
I’d add, however not listed on my father’s passport, is Black Irish. I nonetheless bear in mind my father referring to himself as Black Irish once I was a baby, but he was clearly caucasian, together with freckles, indicating he was a provider of the uncommon crimson hair genes.
The time period Black Irish is a reference used of individuals of Irish ancestry, usually used exterior of Eire, with black hair and darkish eyes. The idea suggests these persons are of Spanish lineage, descendants of shipwrecked Spanish merchants. Learn extra about this interesting theory.
My father wasn’t but married in 1953, possible lived at house along with his mother and father to economize for a visit of a lifetime touring to Eire, England, and France, together with a stopover in Canada. Journey to Europe opened up after World Struggle II, and my father left house by practice from Willmar, Minnesota, in accordance with my grandfather’s diary, earlier than finally touchdown by aircraft in Belfast, Northern Eire.
American Categorical places of work helped hold strains of communication open to his household again house in Minnesota, receiving letters from his mom, and the newest information of Murdock, together with particulars on the native Catholic parish, in accordance with his letters despatched house.
His travels to Eire included a refueling cease by airplane in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, a stopover essential in early postwar transatlantic air journey earlier than arriving in Belfast, Northern Eire. I believe my dad would discover it fascinating the airport in Gander, as a result of its strategic location and runway capability, turned a chosen alternate touchdown website for NASA’s House Shuttle program, in accordance with gandercanada.com. My father was flying to Eire, what may need appeared like area journey coming from rural Minnesota, surrounded by prairie and open farmlands.
My father’s photos of his Irish adventures included a visit to Killarney in County Kerry, one of many places of origin for my household in Eire. He didn’t have an opportunity to find the farm I found in 2018 that our household is related to in Townland Dromkerry in County Kerry.
The views from Dromkerry look out on the Hole of Dunloe, the Lakes of Killarney, the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks and Purple Mountain ranges, a number of the most lovely views in all of Eire.
He took pictures of a three-hour journey by pony and entice by the Hole of Dunloe and Lakes of Killarney, the railway station, mountain panorama views, and views across the countryside.
“Marty Walsh. Taken in Saint Stephen’s Inexperienced, Dublin. It was taken after a rain. My pockets full, Could 16, 1953,” wrote my father on considered one of his picture. He was staying throughout from the inexperienced on the Shelbourne Lodge, and even contains pictures from his resort room window overlooking the well-known Dublin park.
He apparently took trains and tour bus journeys round Eire, touring to Dublin, Galway, Limerick, and locations the place the film “The Quiet Man,” that includes John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, and Barry Fitzgerald, was filmed in Galway. His Kodachrome slides point out locations reminiscent of John Wayne’s home and different particulars of the 1952 movie.
I’d even recommend “The Quiet Man” sparked a cause for my father to journey to Eire, if not seize his curiosity sufficient to depart house to find his household’s Irish roots. If , you possibly can view “The Quiet Man” trailer right here:
In January 2019, whereas staying on the Shelbourne Lodge, I really watched “The Quiet Man” from the consolation of my resort room as a part of my keep, one thing unimaginable throughout my father’s journey to Eire. I didn’t have a resort window view of Saint Stephen’s Inexperienced, as an alternative, I had a courtyard view contained in the resort, and a view of the Irish flag from the rooftop.
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Jannet L. Walsh, of Murdock, Minnesota, is a photographer, author, and educator. She is the writer of the forthcoming inventive nonfiction quest narrative “Higgledy-Piggledy Stones: Household Tales from Eire and Minnesota,” scheduled for publication in 2022 by Shanti Arts Publishing. She has compiled Irish Genealogy Toolkit, a listing of sources for researching your Irish roots. You’ll be able to comply with Walsh on Facebook and Twitter.
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