A home from home

“Though their help was life-saving for many raw youngsters, landing fresh from a secluded Mayo village into the middle of a busy US city, they thought nothing of their offering”


Speaker's Corner
Denise Horan

OUR evaluation of an outcome depends largely on our prior expectations.
When I went to Cleveland last week, I’m not sure what expectations I had. The thing with rushing around ahead of a trip overseas is that you tend not to have time to think about it. I know I certainly went with no trepidation. Between the testimonies of Terence Dever and Kenneth Deery, I was sure a good time was in store.
They had experienced the warmth of the welcome from the Irish in Cleveland enough times to know what they were talking about, and I had a sufficiently good idea of how high the expectations of the Achill duo are to know their lauding of our Cleveland hosts was not done lightly.
Even my Mayo News colleague, Pat Cawley – whose optimism levels are on a par with George Lee’s – assured me the trip would be enjoyable, having been there himself seven years ago. How could I not look forward to the three-day adventure?
The undoubted high-point of our short visit was the Mayo Society of Greater Cleveland Ball on Saturday night. Though the pre-drinks kick-off time of 5.30pm seemed unnecessarily early when I heard it first – the ball wasn’t starting until 7.30pm – that two-hour window was a golden opportunity to meet many interesting and wonderful people. From Westport to Ballycroy, Swinford to Cong and Ballina to Castlebar, Mayo heritage and ancestry was claimed by men and women of all ages, some speaking with clear American accents, others with Mayo tones tinged with an American twang.
While almost all of Mayo was represented at the event, Achill easily provided the greatest number of the emigrants present. Which was no surprise; Cleveland has long been a home away from home for the people of Dooagh, Dooega, Pollagh, Keel, Curraun et al.
The sense of community that exists among these people is special. They all left home – or were reared on stories of their parents’ leaving – at an early age, and came to Cleveland to make a future for themselves. When they arrived, people like Steve Mulloy, and others before him, assisted countless Mayo people in getting jobs and accommodation. Though their help was life-saving for many raw youngsters, landing fresh from a secluded Mayo village into the middle of a busy US city, they thought nothing of their offering. It was simply something they did.
The instinctiveness that informed that assistance is still evident in the community spirit that keeps the Mayo Society growing from strength to strength today. In Ireland, annual balls and dinner dances are now as much a part of winter entertainment as the Late Late Show; in Cleveland this one annual gig is all there is for the Irish community.
And yet – unlike some of our equivalents here – the occasion was classy without being overly fussy, efficient but not officious, professional but not stuffy, formal yet relaxed. Somehow the blend was perfect, even down to their equal pride in, and respect for, the Irish and American national anthems.
These people don’t deny their American existence and its influence on their lives; they marry it with their Irish culture and heritage and allow the two to co-exist happily. In many Irish communities abroad, in the UK in particular, you sense a longing in the voices and a loneliness in the eyes of emigrants. Ireland is still where they want to be.
Maybe I missed it in the Irish Clevelanders, but it seemed to me that it simply wasn’t there. There is a contentment rather than a longing; they’re happy to be where they are but ever mindful of their home across the Atlantic.
Whatever my expectations of Cleveland were, the reality of the visit far exceeded the most optimistic of them. I met people who inspired, saw things that made me question the way we live in Ireland, wondered what it must be like to arrive alone in a big city and set about making a life.
Most of all, I enjoyed the company and the experience of being in the midst of so many fine people. When I return to Cleveland – and I will – my expectations will be far higher. And I’ve no doubt they’ll be met.