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?
