Ballybogpickbudhil

By

Feadog

It was in Ballybogpickbudhil that Jack first met Mary Katharine O’ Mally. And there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that it wasn’t anything but love at first sight for the both him or her. Jack and I had gone to Ballybogpickbudhil to see the ruins of the castle there. Now there is just not much else to see in the tiny village of Ballybogpickbudhil. You won’t find it on any map. Even the a sigh post pointing its way have long ago faded and are unreadable . It contains just a few houses, a Pub (of course) some small shops and small farms around it.

Six hundred years or so ago it had been a thriving community, but that ended when the castle was taken over by King Henry VIII in his disagreement with the Pope in Rome.

The King didn’t want the castle, but the Lord of the manor was a devout Papist, and that was enough for Henry. The King burned the castle, killed all the livestock and hanged the Lord and his family.

Any way, back to Jack and Mary Kate (the story will warm the cockles of your heart and bring a tear to your eye, so hush, sit back and listen.)

Jack spent all of his free time courting Mary Kate. I guess he knew that me mum and I would be going to the states soon and it was his way of excepting it.

Jack and Mary Kate courted each other for the next several years; they married November the 18th 1963. I was in the naval hospital at Pearl Harbor due to my being in the wrong spot at the wrong time in Vietnam and couldn’t make the wedding.

Jack and Mary made their home in Ballybogpickbudhil for all their married life. They had three sons, the oldest Jack named Sanders after our Uncle Sanders who died in the war, the Middle son he named Miller Seamus O’Connor for some silly reason and the third son he named Ted after his father.

Jack and I exchanged letters over the years, but for one reason or another we never saw each other again. He went on and became a master cabinet maker, as his father was, and somewhat of a historian in his own right. Becoming well known for both over all of Ireland.

Jack passed away on Oct 12th 1980. That night I heard the cry of the banshee but marked it as just being the wind. Then a few days later I received the letter telling me the sad news, I then made a phone call to Mary Kate. He died peacefully in his sleep just as his father had.

It is strange that on Oct 12th 1982 Mary Kate also died, peacefully in her sleep.

Now I just know that she and Jack are together, sharing their love.

Jack and she rest side by side in a very small, very old cemetery in the village of Ballybogpickbudhil, Ireland.

The lord of the manor and his family share the same ground.

End

Reach Feadog by email to comment: dublinseamus@gmail.com

Feadog is in our Gallerry!

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