Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
The Braselton News
Page 3B
Ireland
The newspaper was laying on the
kitchen island so when I picked it, I
flipped it over and glanced over the
list of obituaries.
I saw a last name
I recognized and
wondered if he
might be kin to a
man I once knew
of. I hadn’t heard
the name in years.
It is a surname
known primari
ly in the Appala
chians.
He was, accord
ing to the obitu
ary. the man’s
brother. A man who had died years
ago. A man who is remembered by
me primarily for how dirt poor was
he and his family.
I was a child. No more than six
or seven. But whenever Mama or
Daddy spoke of this family from
the backwoods of the mountains, it
was in terms of how poor they were
or how rough and mean their boys
were. One or another was always
in trouble. Moonshining. Fighting.
Stealing. Cussing. Drinking.
No one could get any of 'em in
church. They had no use for the
church house or any of its people
and was downright mean about it.
But you know how church people
are - some will pray endlessly
while others will say, “What’s the
use tryin’?”
Daddy was firm in his faith.
Living poor
Black and white about what the
King James Bible said and will
ing always to stand up for what
he believed to be true. But with
people like these, he was gentle
in his leading. Never overbearing.
He grew up amongst them and he
knew they did not take kindly to
righteousness of any kind or any
man who tried to bring it to them
with force.
Still, every few months on a Sun
day afternoon, back in the times
when preachers spent those after
noons visiting the elderly, the sick
and the lost, we would stop by their
little tarpapered shack. It smelled
musky, dusty, and old.
The husband and wife were
stand-offish but willing to have
the preacher, his wife, and child
come in. Daddy never refused a
cup of coffee even in the dirtiest
of shacks because he knew the hot
water cleansed the cups. So. they
sipped on coffee and just talked
among themselves in general about
nothing in particular. Daddy never
mentioned their refusal to believe
in a higher power or bow to it. He
did not offer scripture or ask to
pray. He simply offered friendship
then would shake the man’s hand
firmly, look him squarely in the
eye and say, “If there’s ever any
thing that me or the church can do
for you. don’t hesitate to call.’’
Once, before we left, I saw
Daddy slip money from his pants
pocket and leave it on the kitchen
table. I was the only one who saw
it.
One night, very late, the man
called. “Ralph, my youngest boy’s
been kilt. The sheriff just come
and brung us the news.”
“I’ll get dressed and I’ll be right
on.” Daddy replied.
Driving drunk and crazy, the
boy had missed a mountain curve
and was killed instantly. It was
December and what I will always
remember is that the house was so
tiny that they had to take down the
cedar they had dragged in from the
woods to put up as a Christmas
tree. They set it out on the raggedy
porch so they could make room to
bring the casket home.
I shall never forget that mother’s
cries. How she laid over the open
casket and wailed in anguish. I
laid my head in mama’s lap and
watched quietly.
The church allowed the boy
to be buried in their cemetery
beneath the rock hard red clay.
It was a graveside funeral only.
The man and his family would not
enter church either in life or death.
The obituary I read the other day
was of this boy’s uncle. It said he
was “of the Baptist faith” meaning
he was not a member of a church.
I guess nothing has changed.
Ronda Rich is the best-selling
author of What Southern Women
Know. Visit www.rondarich.com to
sign up for her free weekly news
letter.
ronda
rich
DAR to host family research event July 29
BELFAST, Ireland - “Twenty years ago we would not be
comfortable driving you here,” Bryan
MacMahon, an Irish historian and
author, was saying as we were head
ed to Tralee, Derry (or Londonderry
if you prefer), which is roughly 40
miles from the capital city of Northern
Ireland.
Two decades ago there had been
ongoing carnage with bombings and
shootings which had everybody daily
on edge in Belfast. Violence was so
much a part of the country’s fabric that
3.600 people lost their lives with no
truce ever expected to mature. How
ever, there has been a lasting peace
since Good Friday 1998, bringing
about the view that if tension and conflict could be amelio
rated here, why can’t the curbing of violence in Northern
Ireland become a model to be emulated elsewhere?
The subject brought about recall of a comment the late
Dean Rusk, former Secretary of State, made about the influ
ence of religion in world affairs. His quote went something
like this: “When you sit down at a conference table with
everybody purporting to represent God, you have a damn
tough negotiating challenge.”
When there was strife in Northern Ireland in the past,
visitors could still enjoy the history of Southern Ireland, the
golf courses, which are Rembrandts in turf: Ballybunion,
Portmamock, Waterville, Lahinch, Royal County Down
and Portrush where the British Open will be played two
summers from now. Additionally, there are castles, rugged
coastlines, Irish whisky, sheep in the meadow and tales of
diaspora alumni whose descendants now return in over
whelming numbers to celebrate their Irish heritage.
Ireland is one of the world’s favorite destinations with
over seven million tourists coming to the country every
year. Some make an annual pilgrimage to the land of their
forebears. The golf, the food, the weather and the hospi
tality beckon travelers who can easily move on to other
destinations when their Irish sojourn ends. London is only
an hour’s flight away, and in an hour and a half, you can set
down in Paris.
At least a fortnight is required if you want to attempt to
adequately explore the island’s history which reveals a bitter
sweet story. There is an agony to ecstasy underpinning with
history of the Irish diaspora—but for those who remained,
there was the ultimate in hardscrabble living. People were
so badly mistreated, mainly because of religion, that they
would do anything to get away which is why so many Irish
gave up their homeland to move to other shores—prosper
ing and. in many cases given to pacesetting and pioneering
achievement. It was a case of triumph and tragedy—tri
umph for the many who left to start and enjoy a new life
elsewhere but tragedy continued for those left behind.
Getting to America and other parts of the world was made
easier in that the heavy-handed English government had no
reluctance to allow another bundle of Catholics to leave; and
shipbuilding was a critical way of life at that time. With a
sense of adventure, you might find an opportunity to work
your way across the ocean. It was here that the Titanic
left its slipway into the deep harbor of Belfast to steam to
Southhampton. England, and subsequently to Queenstown.
Ireland for on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic. The
ship’s builders. Harlan and Wolff, wanted its captain Edward
J. Smith to set a transatlantic record to New York as the
competition for passenger traffic across the Atlantic was
intensifying. After setting the ship’s course, it was full
speed ahead. The captain went to bed.
There were many ships in the North Atlantic that fateful
night. There had been sightings of icebergs, and many
iceberg warnings had been messaged to ships in the area.
Perhaps, it was a case of cavalier arrogance. The ship,
because of its double plated bottom and 16 watertight
compartments had the image with many as being unsink-
able.
Arrogance can lead to throwing caution, in this case, to
the sea. In addition, the greed of the shipbuilders only
had allowed for lifeboats for 1,178 of the 2,224 passen
gers on board. Many who went down with the Titanic
were crew and those traveling in steerage.
When the day ended, it would not be the biggest sea
disaster in history, but it became the best remembered,
especially in film and print. Today the Titanic museum
in Belfast is one of the most visited museums in the
world. Perhaps our empathy for the lives unnecessarily
lost continues to grip our attention, a reminder that the
arrogance of men often consorts with disaster—making
the inevitable unnecessary.
Loran Smith is a columnist for Mainstreet Newspapers.
He is the co-host of the University of Georgia football
tailgate show.
Local artists sought for
JCAC art auction, dimer
Local artists are invited to enter their artwork into the
Jackson County Arts Council’s first annual art auction and
dinner dance.
Artists must be at least 18 years old to enter the auction,
which will be held on Sept. 8 at the Commerce Civic Center.
Artists may submit up to three pieces for the exhibit and at
least one piece will be accepted. The non-refundable entry is
free for JCAC members and $35 for non-members.
All artwork will be juried from computer images. Artists
will be notified which pieces have been selected and are
responsible for dropping them off at the Commerce Civic
Center on Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Awards include: best in show, $500; first merit, $300; sec
ond merit. $200; and people’s choice. $100. The JCAC will
charge a 20 percent commission on all work sold.
Judges include local artist Becky Perry, local artist illustra
tor and instructor Mark Braught and Pam Ramey, artist and
instructor with Athen’s Lyndon House.
To enter, send a .jpeg of the piece to lohmeierteddie@
gmail.com. Include your name and contact information. An
application form and release form is available at the same
email address.
The JCAC expects over 200 people will attend the event.
Do you think there is a Revolutionary War patriot in your
ancestry?
Any woman, over the age of 18, is invited to the Bra
selton Library July 29 to begin family research. The event
will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Daughters of the American Revolution members will be
on hand to answer questions and give information about
the DAR.
“If you have done any research on this possibility or have
any documents you want to share about the Revolutionary
War, please come and join us for a short introduction to
this wonderful part of history for our nation,” leaders state.
Ankit A. Patel, MD, FACC, FSCAI
is accepting new patients
at two locations
Dr. Ankit Patel received his medical degree from Government
Medical College in Surat, India. He completed his residency
in Internal Medicine at Memorial Health University Medical
Center in Savannah, Ga„ and fellowships in Interventional
Cardiology, Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiac Imaging at
Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, and the University of
North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Dr. Patel is board-certified in
Interventional Cardiology, Cardiovascular Disease and Inter
nal Medicine. He speaks three languages and enjoys playing
cards, tennis, cricket, soccer and other sports.
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Call or Schedule Your Appointment Online:
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loran
smith
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