Leaving Nancy

Emigration in the 19th century was for the family remaining at home almost akin to that person dieing.The emigrant did not often return to Ireland from far flung places like Australia, America and Canada.

This was brought back to me recently when I listened to a radio recording.
An old man was taking about his own emigration from rural Donegal in the early part of the 20th century.

His story.

‘As a very young man of 18, I was emigrating to Canada, to British Columbia.I was to join the police force there. My parents were very proud of me.
In the last few days my friends had a big ‘going away’ party for me and everybody was in the best of form, dancing and singing. My mother was rushing about the house fussing and checking all the last minute things that she had already checked several times.
‘Have you that letter from the clergy man’ Have you taken the warm underwear I got you in Carn’ ‘Is your ticket safe’ all that sort of stuff. The night before leaving I hardly slept with the excitement of it all.

The next morning I walked down the road carrying my small suitcase and at the bottom of the lane I turned to look back at the old house for the very last time. My father and mother were standing in the door. My father was waving bravely, but my mother was crying very sore.

I cannot describe the pain I felt at that moment. So great was it,that the memory of it stayed with me throughout my entire life, it never left me and even now in the twilight of my years, I cannot think of that moment without being overcome with a most terrible grief.’

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