I am Irish-American on all four branches of my family: Moore-O'Donnell-Mahaney-Doyle. While on my trip to Ireland, I visited the villages, farms, and churches of my ancestors. It wasn't the average touristy vacation. I even searched through a couple of graveyards in Ireland, and found my greatgreatgrandparent's graves.

My kids loved that - the traipsing around in abandoned gravesites - in drizzly rain no less. As we drove the Irish countryside they'd point out the car window and say "Look mom, there's another graveyard, don't you want to stop?", or "Oops, I think you missed one mom - lot's of Celtic crosses in it too." Well, if you haven't guessed yet, they're teenagers. Sometimes it is best to feign a hearing loss.

As a writer, I did listen closely to the Irish speak and you can hear the rhyme and musical quality to their language. Even in English their speech pattern has more alliteration, such as the use of himself, herself, etc. These are direct translations of seisean féin, sise féin ...

Another interesting example of repeating word elements comes about because there's not a Gaelic word (originally) for Yes or No. So to the question, "Will you be going to the pub tonight?" the response is "I will be going to the pub." A restating of the words (in the question) either in the affirmative or the negative.

Okay, so that's a dumb example because where else would they be going tonight? Also, with an Irish pattern of speech it's more likely to be heard as - "Tonight, will yourself be going to the pub?," and "Aye (or just head nod) - will be going to the pub myself."

I kept a journal on my trip and the enclosed poems are about what moved or inspired me in Ireland. I will be adding more and will try writing some in Celtic verse form.

Sláinte!
(to your health)
Catrìona