On my Moms side, but looks like my Dad

This is my cousin Liam O'Flaherty, a famous irish writer. He was born on my Mom's island, but lived in Dublin for most of his life. His best known work is The Informer, a book seen through the eyes of a slitely off man during the Irish Civil War in the 1920's. This was made into a film, and was awarded two academy awards: Best Foreign film 1930(?) and best screenplay. Nice having someone like him in the family.

I never met him, we never went to anywhere but family farms on our trips to Eire in '72 and '80, and he was dead by the time I had the Yen to visit first time by self in '97*. My cousin T. worked in Dublin for a time and was going to visit the Great Man, but he didn't. Interesting story from T., who is one of my favourite cousins of the 1000's I have.

My Neices and nephews have actually been taught on him in one of their classes. A lot of "British Lit." texts have one or the other of his short stories.

Unofficial page

wikii page

and another....

By the way, this post was keyed by a Galloist comment last week.




*=Remember that trip??- wow, what an eye opener on so many many things, including staying @ my Fathers brothers farm (my Uncle Pete, if I may say so in the clear) and just weeping on the grandeur of life hanging out with him. He reminded me so much of Dad, his voice, style of walking and expressions, even down to the fucking clothes he was wearing: in the old Irish style, when Dad died, we sent out some of his things to Uncle Pete, and it was just fantastic to see them being worn by Dad's doppleganger.

Hilts wept with the understanding that life goes on, although the old irish expression "ain't life grand" came to me on Bloomsday in Manhatten in 2000, when I called my mom and she told me that Aunt Nonie, wife of her brother, had died suddenly. I remember immed. going to Mass @ St. Patricks w/ the grief, and then needing to be on the sea: I followed Dragons idea of taking the Staten Island Ferry.....and weeping.


What, Jesus and my Dad never wept?