Dear Jessica,

IWANT you to know, as your wedding invitations are about to be posted out from Dublin, that you have made your Auntie M happy in three ways. Firstly, you and your sisters grew up the children of my immigrant brother in a city thousands of miles from his native place. Yet you have now made a choice I had not dared to dream for, you have decided to settle here in Ireland, planning for a future, as your dad would have said, on the old sod.

Secondly, you have managed to find yourself a fine man to marry, all the way from Tipperary. As ye set out on this exciting phase of your lives together, I know ye already possess all the essentials to keep you both strong.

Thirdly and for me, the most exciting of all, you have decided to come and take your marriage vows before the altar of our little parish chapel in this village where I live, here in the west of Ireland. Something deep inside you must have understood the importance of tradition. Your late dad’s family have always been, for many generations, an integral part of this church and this village community’s life. It is so very fitting and you make me very proud in the choices you have made.

When your beautiful wedding ceremony draws to a close, as family and friends will naturally meander to the cemetery next door in the chapel yard to pay their respects to your late dad, they will nod to one another, in a knowing agreement. I know, and so very much want to tell you, that, from among all your marriage options, you made the right choice, to come home. As for your dad, knowing that his Jessica came home to his native place, he will be simply shining, shining with the indescribable pleasure of it all.

Fondest love, from Auntie Mary Mary Lavery Carrig, Tarbert, Co Kerry