New* Craic On Minnesota
May20
on May 20, 2014
at 1:12 pm
Posted In: Buncrana, Carndonagh, Derry, Donegal, Greencastle, L/Derry, Letterkenny, Minneapolis / St Paul, Moville, North America, Redcastle
Welcome. I am Eileen Dahill from Minneapolis, Minnesota. My mother is from Belfast (N. Ireland) so I grew up all things Irish.  I am 550 miles from Chicago,1000 from Graceland, 1500 from Las Vegas, 1700 from Disneyworld and 3,600 to Ireland. But I feel closest to Ireland (Graceland would be second). Ireland is in the kitchen with our good Tara tea mugs from Galway, or on the phone when my moms voice quickens when she talks to her brother or sister. It’s our old Aran sweaters and new pictures online of ruby teams, first communions, vacations, and weddings of our Irish family flung across the globe from Brisbane, Australia to Los Angeles, California.
But all the Creightons of Belfast who live in North America have this picture. It is the photo of my uncle Eddie and my aunt Mary on their wedding day. My aunt was a WWII war bride. ( My aunt was always slightly embarrassed that the hemline of her skirt was too short due to rationing during WWII.) My aunt Mary and her wedding suit came with her as she followed her new husband to the Pacific War and then to Minnesota. My uncle and aunt then sponsored my mother and her brothers John, Frank, and Pat.
Being Irish or meeting other Irish-Americans outside our family did not occur until my uncle Pat began to pipe for the Brian Boru Band. My father being a Scandinavian-American didn’t corral us much. (Myself and siblings preferred to ride our bikes and play sports. We came home when the city lights began to flicker on – our only house rule.) But there was something about my uncle piping and my cousins also taking Irish dance. My mom enrolled me, I loved it and I really never stopped Irish Dancing. I am now the founder of the St. Paul Irish Dancers in Minnesota.
I hope you will enjoy my take on the craic on the Irish scene 3,600 miles away!
