oh Danny Boy....

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

With great wonderment, I sat at my grandparents' feet and listened to tales of their ancestors and our colorful family history that led all my branches of the family to take root here in the fertile soils of Indiana......which I understand, are much like the green green grass of their motherland, Ireland.

The Bryants (earlier O'Bryans), Baileys, Carothers, Mahurins, Careys, and many others in the family tree hail from the Emerald Island. I'm about half German and half Irish........which I guess could make for a really angry drunk. Tradition in our family is that we gather for corned beef & cabbage at my parents-and I love the stuff. I have such a great affinity for my Irish roots that I usually ignore the rest.

"Grandad," I would ask "where did your people come from"

"well, son, it has been told that my great grandad came with his many brothers from Ireland"

"really, but our name really doesn't sound Irish.....maybe, I guess"

"well, this was the story passed down to me......we're Irish and proud to be"

Well, with a little research I found that that was not the case.........it appears our surname once had a "T", which made it very German. Nonetheless, I claim the more authentic bloodlines including our Bryant ancestry. I have a picture of my great-grandad's brother who was killed in WWI and I often think of this young Irish lad who gave his life for his country when I hear the tune "oh Danny boy", written in 1913.

If there is one other country I'd like to visit, it would be that green gem on the east edge of the Atlantic............I can imagine it would be a little like going home.