For her family the venue may have changed but home was where she was
EILEEN Mary O’Sullivan was born in a little thatched cottage in Cloghaneanode, Castlegregory on December 27, 1940. She was the second child born to John and Mary Catherine ( Teahan) who had sadly lost their first child, Timothy, as an infant.
Two sisters, Cauty and Maureen followed. She was a rambunctious child we’ve been told. “If you left her alone for two minutes, she’d be on top of the dresser”. That climbing gene was passed down.
Eileen loved school, particularly reading. She also loved to sing and was called upon by the teacher to sing for a visiting priest one day. By the second verse she realised that the teacher was not pleased with her song choice. ‘On top of old smokie, all covered with snow I lost my dear lover, for courting too slow!’ Her love of reading and singing continued throughout her life, although her song choices became less ‘risqué’. Her favourites were Three Leafed Shamrock, The Green Glens of Antrim and Where my Eileen is Waiting. She was a big fan of Johnny McEvoy and in later years, Nathan Carter.
She met Jackie Goodwin from The Maharees in Courtney’s Dancehall when she was sixteen years old. They married in 1962 and moved to New York. They settled in Brooklyn near Jackie’s extended Goodwin family. They returned to Cloghaneanode in 1967 with their first two children, John and Mary. Jackie went back to lobster fishing and Eileen returned to farming. Over the next ten years four more children joined the clan, Tim, Patricia, Paul and Eileen. In 1977 they moved to a new home in Fahamore.
In 1985 the family, like so many others, began to emigrate to the U. S. In 1995 when Jackie reached retirement age and the youngest finished secondary school, Jackie and Eileen sold their home in Fahamore and once again moved to the U. S. to be near their family. By this time, they had four grandchildren, Melissa, Máire, Jenna and Brian. Nora came along a couple of years later. Eileen settled into life in New Jersey, minding her grandchildren during the day and working in Hometown Buffet in the evenings and weekends.
They returned to Cloghaneanode in 2001 and settled into retired life. She loved tending to her flowers in the garden and feeding her birds. Three more grandchildren in recent years, Jack and Cara in Holland and Ella in Illauncaum.
Family meant everything to Eileen and over the years she made sure she was there for christenings, first communions, confirmations, bat mitzvahs, graduations, weddings and birthdays.
For her family the venue may have changed from time to time, but home was wherever she was.
For Má
Looking out into the Irish countryside Remembering her sweet, kind face
She was the glue that held this family together Bringing us all to one place
A pinch of this
And a fist of that
The smell of fresh, brown bread
We all sat around the big kitchen table “God forgive me” she often said
Her six little chickens all raised and grown And how she taught them well
As now they have young chickens of their own Kind-hearted and caring as well
Cups of tea for everyone
As we all sat around to chat Must have been the warmest of homes As each little chicken came back
“A heart of gold” they always said And it really was so true
She was always kind and truly cared For everyone she knew
Little robins chirping at the window She always kept them full and fed They too will notice her absence
As our hearts feel sad and tears are shed
I can only wish to be that sweet
To have such a pure and generous soul We are all blessed with memories
As she left this earth,... her heart so full
Nora Goodwin