The Irish Gazette

The Upper Midwests Irish News Source

Snow White and growing up in a big Irish family: a personal story

BY DAN GANLEY

Special to the Irish Gazette

My brother and I went to the St. Patrick’s Day parade in St. Paul in 1967. We have been going to that celebration every year since and we have the parade buttons to prove it.

Through thick and thin, chil- dren and grandchildren, we have marched and explored our cul- tural identity. It has been a great trip. When we see the throngs on the streets on March 17th, we know we are on the right track. Welcome aboard friends.

You die twice. Once when your body dies and secondly when no- body says your name. My family story helps to illustrate this point: The story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is of course a cau- tionary tale to a young woman about married life with a man. The various traits shown. You know, sleepy, dopey, grouchy etc.

To extend a metaphor let me say I loved every one of my dad’s 13 siblings when I was growing up. They were wonderful people. They loved children. And they all had traits I treasured and inter- nalized. My godfather and uncle, Leo , was an air raid warden in World War II. In Minneapolis. He

wore a pith helmet and helped keep Minneapois safe from Ger- man bombers. Please draw the shades. He also would say, “boy if I was a cop, I would have given that guy a ticket!”

I’m not really like that, just a little bit. Like if I had a tank to deal with those drivers who cut me off in traffic. Then they would learn.

My uncle Bunny, funny Bunny, was a master joker and font of sage advice. In 1960 he wore a John F. Kennedy mask while trav- eling through Kansas City on a train. At the station he waved at people through the window. Made a lot of people’s day. By the way, have you heard the one about….oh never mind.

My aunt Betty had charisma, grace and charm. A beautiful Irish lass with a twinkle in her eye. She was one of those people who would make you feel like you were her favorite. Thrilling when it comes from a legend like her. I actually argued with my brother once about that very issue. I still think he was wrong.

My aunt Monica loved to sing the old songs. The old Irish ones: Dear Old Donegal, I’ll Walk You Home Again Kathleen and so many more. She remembered the

days when what you had, all you had, was your family. To have your back. The bedrock of sup- port in a rough tough world.

My uncle Jack? He had your back. Jack was one tough Irish- man. An excellent boxer, Uncle Jack learned his skills on the playgrounds of the Ascension Catholic Church school. When Father Dunphy saw a squabble on the yard he would take the two boys, always the boys, into the gym and have them put on the boxing gloves to settle their differences.

Father Dunphy was also the manager of the Ascension boxing team. He was always looking for new talent.

In the book written for class- work at Harvard’s School of Pub- lic Health, Social Epidemiology, we see the influence of the hu- manities at work. One of the cen- tral points made is that it is very difficult to separate yourself from your background, where you grew up and with who.

There were more Aunts and Uncles. Their lives became my life. They are the threads of the fabric of my life. Because the more we know about our own journey the better we can under- stand the journey of others.

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