a great great grandfather of mine was born in brosna. he came out here to australia during/just after the potato famine. i have visited twice, in 1997 and 2003.
my mother norah curtin was from brosna, lived on a farm in ahane sister to con curtin. norah married my father fred hayes and ran a pub in fulham london
Con Curtin -son of Jack Maurice Curtin?-was my father's 2nd cousin. Jack Maurice John had a sister Nora who was known as Nano. She married O'Connor who was a member of the R.I.C. but his sympathies were with the rebels. His son John O'Connor was a member of the Innishannon I.R.a. Company in Tom Barry's West Cork Brigade, but apparently did not participate in the Irish Civil was. When this war was about to end, he was one of the 8 victims of the Ballyseedy massacre, and his name appears on the memorial near Tralee as Seán Ó Conchobhair.
My family still owns property here. Distant cousins by now as I am 3rd generation American. But we still keep in touch and they treat us as family. Looking at this, I will never understand why my great grandfather left.
Now that CHRISTMAS is drawing closer, I'm reminded of the many CHRISTMASES I spent in the Upper Feale Valley, not far from Brosna Town, in those good old days, Nollag shona bheannaithe daoibh go léir agus Athbhliain fé mhaisle libh freisin.
I first met Dan Hannon in early may, 1958, a few days after I arrived in N.Y.C. About 3 months later, I attended a meeting in Highbridge arranged by Dan Hannon to organize a fundraising dance for to bring a nun from South Africa to visit her mother in NYC. The dance was held at Gaelic Park on the 11th of Sept.. and was a huge success. At tghat time, Dan Hannon, wife Peggy and young children lived at 117s Nelson Ave, Highbridge. The last time I visited the Hannon residence was in mid-March, 1960, a week before I left for basic training in Parris Island. During the next 4 years, I usually sent Dan & Peggy a Christmas card. More to follow.
O a Sunday the early fall of 1982, Paddy Noonan, Glen Curtin and other musicians performed in Long Island City, Queens, at a fundraiser for one of 4 New York City residents who were facing federal charges for gun-running to the North of Ireland.
