To see you again

Earlier today (Sunday 25th March – Palm Sunday) we were joined at the 11.30am Mass in Kilkelly by 78 visitors from Michigan, U.S.A.  The purpose of their visit was to visit the grave of Pat McNamara, the teacher who wrote the “KILKELLY IRELAND” letters on behalf of the Hunt Family, Urlaur.  These letters, spanning some thirty years, were found by the family of an old man who died in Washington DC.  On reading the letters, the story unfolded of a father keeping in touch with his emigrant son.  A remarkable story of family bonds and love that traversed the Atlantic and reassured us that miles cannot create distance in the depths of the heart.

It’s been a favourite song of mine for many years and when I was contacted some months ago by Doug Berkshire and his singing companion, Jerry, wondering about the possibility of visiting Kilkelly and Pat McNamara’s grave, I was only too happy to encourage them to come along.  They belong to a singing group called The Pub Runners and were organising a trip to Ireland to visit the locations of some of their favourite songs.

When I suggested they might like to join us for 11.30am Mass in Kilkelly they were eager to do so and there’s no doubt they added number and volume to our congregation today.  It was lovely to have them with us for Palm Sunday as we begin our journey into and through Holy Week.

After Mass and a lovely lunch in Kilmovee Community Centre where some of our local musicians entertained the group, I accompanied the two coach loads of visitors to Urlaur Abbey.  There I shared with them my limited knowledge of the song’s story.  Earlier in the day, one of the locals told me where the Hunt Family home was. Ironically I’ve been passing it for nine years and didn’t know.  Every day is a learning day.  I knew Pat McNamara’s house and was happy to be able to show them both.

When the talking was done, the singers sang!  It was beautiful.

After the song, and as we wandered around the Abbey Grounds, I noticed a “drone” in the air.  I didn’t realise it was belonging to one of the visitors as there were some other people on the lake shore as well.  However I was told one of the men had brought the drone with him, having to seek special permission to bring it on the flight, and that he was capturing a few of the moments.  A short while ago, I got an email from Doug that included a link to some of the footage taken today.

One of my favourite lines in the Kilkelly Ireland song comes at the end of the last letter written by the father to his son.  He had been writing to him for over thirty years and all his letters followed a pattern: news about home, the family, what was happening in locally and, in one wording or another, a call to the son to come home.  The final one was “You say that you might even come for a visit, what joy to see you again”.  That the line I like: “What joy to see you again.”

LENTEN THOUGHT:  This Holy Week, may we hear the Lord’s call to us to come “home” and may we know his Joy at seeing us again.