The Mullane story

My great-great-great-grandfather lost his father and 5 siblings in the famine. He and his mother came over to New York. From there, he built a new life and started a family.

My family has always been proud to be from Ireland. I think a lot of traditions have been lost, but I noticed that when I went to Ireland, there were mannerisms and behaviors that my family does, even a hundred years later. In the last few years, I have immersed myself in learning Irish history, language, and culture to honor my ancestors. I think that, given the fact that so many people were lost to An Gorta Mór, it is a disservice to them not to know our history and language.

Ireland has been through so much because of colonization, and there has been a beautiful resurgence of reclaiming Gaeilge, even in the diaspora. I went to Dublin and got to visit Kilmainham Gaol and learned so much about the fight for independence. Not only am I proud to have Irish ancestors who persevered through a genocide, but also of the men and women who fought and rebelled for Ireland.

While I live in America for now, I plan to move to Ireland when my children are older. It is a beautiful country, and when I go there, I feel at home because “ Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin.”