Wednesday 13 April 2011

K is for Katie Leahy

This is Katie Leahy, my grandmother, with her father Dick Leahy.  The photo was taken in the early 1900s, likely at their home in Gortnamona, in West Cork

The other day, I mentioned Irish naming patterns.  I was named after Katie because I'm the first-born daughter in my family.  I have three cousins named Catherine for the same reason (though one is the second-born girl -- one day I have to ask about that).

Katie died in 1959, shortly after my dad came to Canada... years before I was born.  She had had a series of strokes that had weakened her before her death.  That's about all I know about her.  Recently, dad mentioned the his mom used to crochet -- baby clothes and things.

My girl, the Bean, is also named after her paternal grandmother, who also died years before she was born.  Her Baba was Helen Kazuke.  We don't have a lot of pictures of Baba, but there are two in the family room, where they should be.  And we tell the Bean lots of stories about her Baba.

I think a girl should know who her grandmother is.  My grandmother and the Bean's both crocheted.  So do the Bean and I. 

What do you have in common with your grandmother?

4 comments:

  1. Interesting post. I share my birthday with my paternal grandmother who died before I turned 1. According to my dad, I was the apple of her eye.

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  2. my gramma and i both love tea and young and the restless. I am often told we look alot alike. Which im okay with. my gramma is one of the best people ive ever known! i dont know what id do without her!!!!!!

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  3. My Grandmother and I like to cook, and I've been fortunate enough to learn alot of traditional ways of how to do things. I was fortunate that at an early age, I was allowed to help with both your mother, our aunts and grandmothers/ great grandmother with preparing all kinds of enormous family feasts. When I lived in Sault Ste. Marie, as a going home present, my gramma found a very very affordably priced pasta machine similar to the ones from Italy with the crank and everything, and I was extatic to fianlly have my own. I have the recipes now for the capelletti and ravioli filling and have 4 different trays to make them in. I will never forget the invaluable traditional learning experiences I've been taught and hope to pass down the tradition to my son who loves to be in the kitchen with me!

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  4. From sharing names and birthdays to recipes!

    Meghan, willing to share those recipes for the blog?

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