As Others See Us
(An Anonymous Look)
There were the SCOTS:
Who kept the Sabbath,
And everything else
They could lay their hands on;
Then there were the WELSH:
Who prayed on their knees
And preyed on their neighbours;
Thirdly, there were the IRISH:
Who never knew what they wanted,
But were willing to fight for it anyway.
Lastly, there were the ENGLISH:
Who considered themselves
A self-made nation,
Thus relieving the Almighty
Of a dreadful responsibility.
Although of Italian and Swiss (not to mention French and Polish) heritage as well, my affinity since childhood has been for my Scot/Irish ancestors—well, except for the culinary arts which were cultivated on the Italian side (aren't we glad about THAT?!?)—which you will soon be able to explore in the kitchen... the section of this page to be called RED CUISINE. Anyway...
My maternal grandfather (James Walton Ian MacGregor) was born on 12 August 1884 in (we think) Glasgow, but the family moved to Edinburgh (or it may have been the other way around... details are sketchy), then emigrated to the U.S.
My maternal grandmother (who we all called "Nanny") was born Mary Ellen (May) Elizabeth Browne in a little township (she called it Kilkerry) which doesn't even appear on the County Kerry maps any longer (at least not on the ones I have). Nanny was of the Fitzgerald Clan, and also emigrated to the U.S. (as did my paternal grandfather from Calabria, Italy—way down south at the tip of the boot—and my paternal grandmother, who was from a teensy spot at the Northern Italian/Swiss border).
As such, I am somewhat of a "mongrel" (You can peek at the FAMILY TREE if you're nosy and so inclined) ... I'm only second generation American—and take the true, if politically incorrect stance that MY ancestors were too busy being enslaved and/or having their lands (and in some cases, even their NAMES) stripped from them to have had anything to do with either the whole slave issue or the dispossession of the Native Americans. I don't take kindly to the "your people did this to my people" stuff, 'cause they DIDN'T, dagnabit! That said...
So often today, when one hears the word "Celtic" they automatically think IRISH... which is only a small part of the mix. Things Celtic encompass MUCH more than things Irish, although the popularity of The Chieftains and Riverdance would have one thinking it is all that remains of Celtic music, language and culture. Thank goodness for places such as Gaelic College, Cànan and Focal an Lae (Word of the Day) that are helping to keep the languages and cultures alive. (Please note that Gaelic College's site periodically wigs out—I'm assuming it's due to page maintenance as each term begins/ends—so don't despair if this gives the appearance of "link rot" and doesn't connect you. Try again on another day!)
So... Interested in more about the Celtic Peoples? Scottish and/or Irish music, genealogy, etc.? If so, move your mousie to one of the places below...
Okay! So who broke my counter ALREADY?!?
Page Contents © 1997 by: Gael MacGregor (UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)