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From:
Subject: Re: [IRISH-NYC] Who to Invite?
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 16:59:40 EST

I loved the description of Patrick Purcell at your party, Larry! Anyone
named Patrick from Mayo would have to know how to sing, dance and spin yarns!

I had a really hard time deciding who I would invite. I finally realized
that it would have to be my grandfather, Bernard Lynch - whom I never knew.
He was the first generation American in my Lynch family, but he was pretty
colorful. I can see him sitting in his chair, smoking his cigar and downing
a whiskey. He would demand that there be music, and when the songs, 'When
New York Was Irish' and 'An Irishman's Dream' came on, he'd get up and sing.
Even though he wasn't known to be a big dancer, he would insist on the
younger kids getting up to do an Irish jig or two.

He would regale us with stories of how he married my grandmother from Five
Points because, (quote), 'She was shanty-Irish and someone had to love her.'
And wink and smile through the story. Then I know I would sit captivated as
he told us about Mayor James 'Jimmy' Walker, a man he knew personally, and
the three speakeasies he owned during Prohibition. Then he could tell us all
about the family history - who was from where, who married whom, who had
skeletons in the closet. Then there'd be some more singing, including 'Danny
Boy' and 'The Sidewalks of New York.'

Then the party would reach a crescendo when he orders my mother to get up and
tap dance for us. That I'd actually pay to see! <grin>

Take care,
Tracy

IRISH-NEW-YORK-CITY list leprechaun

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