tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934082776237806721.post946084254768061827..comments2023-06-27T03:43:35.956-04:00Comments on LowellIrish: Cpt. David Roche- Gettysburg July 2, 1863LowellIrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17581828365206969935noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934082776237806721.post-49143456033824568842013-07-11T10:00:41.622-04:002013-07-11T10:00:41.622-04:00Would you be willing to tell your g-grandfather...Would you be willing to tell your g-grandfather's story in a blog post? It sounds like a story.LowellIrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17581828365206969935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934082776237806721.post-87395422665561833012013-07-09T07:54:15.023-04:002013-07-09T07:54:15.023-04:00My father's grandfather was from Kilkenny, Ire...My father's grandfather was from Kilkenny, Ireland. He lived in the Acre and South-End sections of Lowell. He was wounded at Gettysburg and in three other battles of the ‘Civil War’. He was a blacksmith by trade. He returned to Lowell with his wounds and, according to his death certificate, he died at the age of 62. On the certificate, it states he was 'indigent'. He is buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery. The gravestone has sunken and the neglected and gnarled surface obscures the fading words on his gravestone, his memorial.<br />He fled the ‘Great’ Hunger for a better life. I wonder how he made sense out of his service in the 16th Mass Infantry, and war in general? I wonder if he had a better life pounding on steel one minute and priming gunpowder down a barrel the next. <br />What is his legacy? Are his descendents caring and loving, compassionate and courageous? What will their legacy be? What about war? What about wars? What about the indigent, the neglected, the invisible people? Do Sergeant Murphy’s descendents remember his suffering and sacrifices, his “terrible beauty?”<br /><br />Daniel Patrick MurphyDaniel Patrick Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02778211641175352857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934082776237806721.post-70093314981451288142013-07-02T11:57:18.395-04:002013-07-02T11:57:18.395-04:00Nicely evocative, in addition to being an interest...Nicely evocative, in addition to being an interesting and enjoyable piece, - as usual ;->pooririshhttp://pooririshandpilgrims.comnoreply@blogger.com