Personal Narrative: Irish Mythology

If there were only one word, which I could use to describe myself, it would be determined. I cannot take all the credit for this, as I hail from a long line of stubborn and resolute kinfolk. Most notably, my grandmother who raised me on stories of our descendancy from the ancient Celtic Kings of Irish mythology. It was through these stories that I first developed the sense of pride and strength that would guide me through the various challenges of my life.

My parents arrived in New York City in the early sixties, with sixty dollars in their pockets. They bravely came in pursuit of the American dream without knowing a soul in this brave new world. Having no college education and expecting their first child made their job prospects very slim. However, they were determined and eventually found success. Working as a bartender in the Bronx, my father toiled from dusk till dawn until the opportunity of a job with Aer Lingus opened up to him. Hauling cargo into the belly of a plane may not be the most glamorous of jobs, but it gave us all the opportunity to travel back to Ireland every summer free …show more content…
During this trip I had the pleasure of speaking with Jim Fitzpatrick, a renowned Irish illustrator famous for his Celtic inspired artwork depicting the heroes of Irish folklore and mythology. Jim’s extensive knowledge of Ireland’s ancient history proved to be an invaluable resource that both supported and advanced my own research. I was also awakened to the struggle of many cultural organizations, to both protect and preserve Irish heritage sites and artifacts, in the wake of expanded infrastructure brought on by the economic boom of the Celtic Tiger. This further fueled my fire to bring more global awareness to these beautiful creations in order to safeguard them and the original monasteries where they were