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Jean Pouliot's avatar

I’m afraid you’ll have to join the queue!

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Kate Sullivan's avatar

It was a very powerful day for me! Whaddaya think, should we all fix up Jackie’s old house?

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Forrest Speck's avatar

I'll help

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Kate Sullivan's avatar

You’re on, Forrest ( or Foraoise, in Irish) We’ll just sing old Irish ditties and tinker away.

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Anne Verret-Speck's avatar

I'm SO glad you got to see Tim again in a different state of mind!

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Kate Sullivan's avatar

Yes, it was quite a different visit. Very powerful for me to be back in that neighborhood. Jackie is now 80. My grandfather Tim died in 1950 I think! My father in 1983. And so it all keeps going and we know now that we go too! Happy Mother’s Day!

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John Smolens's avatar

Kate, two years ago, we were in Ireland. Stayed at a friend's cottage in County Clare, and then did the Ring. Stayed two nights in a B&B outside Portmagee. What a beautiful part of a beautiful country. I envy you your Irish passport. I'm eligible, too, and if I were a younger fellow I'd get a passport and seriously consider moving to Ireland. Don't understand it, whenever I'm there I'm seriously content. Must be the Guinness? But it must be more than that, too. Glad you had a good visit. Slainte!

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Kate Sullivan's avatar

Yes John, I remember well your trip AND your swing down near Portmagee. I finally managed to find out how to get back there and was over the moon about finding Jackie. Yes, it is a beautiful part of the world - and so far from the dog eat doggy greed that seems to have infected the US. (Not to mention the guns, god help us)

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betsy Retallack's avatar

What a grand adventure! I’ll come with to help fix up the house! We’ve been to Ireland twice in the past two years with our Irish neighbors to visit their families in Doolin. My heart is in Ireland!

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Kate Sullivan's avatar

I remember following your travels in Ireland. AND you’re getting ‘stuck’ over there with COVID. Poor dears! Yes, it was quite an adventure. I don’t think I’ll really take the old house. I’m a little too old meself. But if I change my mind, you’ll be the first one to know!☘️

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Jane Abbott's avatar

Great story Kate. So true how our familial ties become more and more precious as we age.

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Kate Sullivan's avatar

So glad you enjoyed it and yes, everything seems to become more precious as we age and time is a precious commodity! Hope all is well with you. ☘️

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Beth Clary's avatar

What a wonderful story AND set of photos! Sunshine in the Ring of Kerry! Fabulous. Hope the workshop was inspiring as well. This is SUCH a great story, Kate.

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Kate Sullivan's avatar

Thanks, Beth. Glad you enjoyed the tale. And yes, the writing workshops gave lots of food for thought! ☘️

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Olivia's avatar

This is amazing!!

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Jean Pouliot's avatar

The French (at least long ago in Québec) had a similar custom of leaving the family house to the oldest male child. This ensured that the house and its property stayed in the family. The current owner (at least inhabitant) of the Pouliot homestead on L'Ile D'Orléans, is Lucie, so perhaps the old rules aren't kept as strictly.

I used to assume that the child who got the house was the "lucky" one, as everyone else had to set up shop elsewhere. Now I wonder whether inheriting an old, creaky house with lots of historical baggage (and perhaps unwanted visitors) might seem to some to be a burden.

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Kate Sullivan's avatar

I always love hearing about the rich history of the Pouliots au Canada. If Lucie would like to get rid of the house on l’Ile d’Orléans, I’d be happy to take it off her hands. 😂

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