About

castle

Hello and thanks for visiting my blog.  I’m originally from Cork in Ireland, but now live in Orlando where my husband Tom, a fellow Corkonian, and I raise our three young Americans.

Until recently I was a full-time teacher, studying for a Master’s Degree in Education. This, according to Forbes Magazine, is the fourth most useless graduate degree a person could possibly earn, but it kept me stressed and exhausted and gratified my martyr complex. Today, I am assistant principal at a Montessori Charter School in Central Florida.

I feel very lucky to be living in America and to have been born and raised in Cork. I appreciate the good weather and opportunity given to me by my Floridian life.  I feel that Cork comes with me where ever I go; it is so much more than just a geographical location – it’s a way of being.

I plan to collect some stories here about my early (rather interesting) years in Cork, as well as how being a Corkonian affects the way I navigate my American life and the annoying business of not being young any more. My first entry, Leaving Cork was published as a letter in The Irish Examiner, and also picked up to be published by The Irish Times. Since then the Irish Times has sweetly run a few more bits and pieces of mine, as has the Orlando Sentinel. Heady stuff for a novice.

I hope you enjoy the content here. Please be sure to like any post that you do enjoy and feel free to share it or leave me a comment.   I’m new to this and appreciate your advice.  I’d especially love for you to FOLLOW ME ! I do so want to be a writer when I grow up.

Cathy

6 thoughts on “About”

  1. Hi Cathy, I eventually found the introduction. It has been a hard few weeks for you , sorry I missed you but had treatment last Thursday. Tonight the UCC Cancer society is holding a ceremony of rememberance for those who lost their battle and I am priviledged to be in one of the choirs participating tonight hence the practice on Wednesday. I will be thinking of Rita and all the friends I made and lost since my diagnosis through this illness. Wishing you all well

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  3. Well, I really enjoyed reading ” Leaving Cork” ,I could still see my Fathers face and the faces of my brothers and dear friends , while I was standing at the back of the boat ( The Innishfallen ) waving goodby
    to go to America via England ( Gatwick to New York ) in 1979. All I could think of was to dive of the boat and tell everybody it was a big joke on everyone. I ended up in my cabin and had a good old cry, and that was that. But I will say this to you, I might have left Cork, but Cork has never left me.

    Michael Mc Auliffe
    The Island Of Saba
    Dutch Caribbean.

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  4. Hi Cathy.
    The life of an Irish person abroad is indeed a strange one. I left for London in 1990, and for the first 15-20 years I never really gave my ‘Irishness’ very much thought. I missed my family and friends, but would pop back once or twice a year, and all was good. I met and married a lovely man, settled in Bristol and had 3 great kids. I was too busy with my job and the children and the lovely new friends I had made to give the land of my birth much consideration. Then, 10 years ago soon after the birth of my 3rd child, my mother died, and 2 years ago my Father also passed away. A strange disquiet has subsequently descended upon me and I find myself in middle age becoming increasingly nostalgic and homesick!! I listen to Irish radio, watch the Late Late show religiously on rte player, and find myself making more frequent visits ‘home’.
    I am a happy person by nature, and I am very grateful for my life here, and for my wonderful family and friends, but somehow being Irish has become a much bigger deal for me than I ever imagined it would.
    So it was lovely to read your piece, and think ‘it’s not just me then….’ And I shall look forward to reading more!
    😄x

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