ONE HUNDRED YEARS

KILCONLY GIRL MOVES TO THE USA

                                       MY MOTHER WOULD HAVE BEEN 100 ON MARCH 13,2011.  SHE DIED OF BLADDER CANCER WHEN SHE WAS 93,ONE MONTH BEFORE HER 94TH BIRTHDAY ON THE DAY AFTER VALENTINE'S DAY.   HER FUNERAL WAS ON MOTHER'S DAY.  I GUESS AT ST TERESA'S IN  NORTH TARRYTOWN.  THE RECEPTION WAS A T A CASTLE LIKE BUILDING ON THE HUDSON.
                                       SO SHE WENT FROM A LITTLE VILLAGE IN IRELAND AT AGE 16 T PORTLANDT, MAINE,TO SCARSDALE, TO MICHIGAN,TO WHITE PLAINS, TO FLORIDA, TO SAG HARBOR AND FINALLY TO CAPE COD AND FINALLY TO A CASTLE ON THE HUDSON.
                                        MOM WAS NEVER SICK UNTIL SHE DEVELOPED BLADDER CANCER IN HER 90'S.  IT WAS INOPERABLE AT HER AGE AND JUST RAN ITS COURSE.  AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF,SHE DIED IN HER SLEEP.  THERE WERE A FEW ANNOYING OPERATIONS BY THE UROLOGIST CAUSING INCONTINENCE AND DVT IN HER LEGS.  BUT ON THE WHOLE IT WAS A SLOW BUT PEACEFUL ENDING.

MOM MARRIED A MCDOWELL

                                           MOM DIDN'T GO BACK TO IRELAND UNTIL SHE WAS 85.  IRELAND WAS MUCH MORE PROSPEROUS.  BUT THEY DON'T TEAR DOWN RUINS.  THEY JUST BUILD A NEW HOUSE ON THE LAND.  SO MOM WAS UPSET TO SEE HER FAMILY HOME OUTSIDE GALWAY WITH BOARDED UP WINDOWS AND WEEDS IN THE LAWN.  STILL IT WAS A GOOD TRIP WITH SOJOURNS TO THE CLIFFS OF MOHER,GALWAY CITY, THE BURREN AND THEN ARMAGH IN THE NORTH WHERE HER YOUNGER SISTER LIVED.  MOM'S SISTER WAS 6 WHEN MOM LEFT IRELAND IN 1928.  THEY HADN'T SEEN EACH OTHER SINCE THEN.