Father Michael's Roses

While in Cork City, Cork, Ireland we walked to St. Finbarr's South Parish Church, where my Grandmother and Great-grandparents were baptized and married.   It was a Saturday morning when we got to the church which was quiet but open.   It was a bit eerie to think that my ancestors walked through the same doors and gazed at the same statues, window and altar over one hundred years ago.

The church was modest by comparison to some of the grand cathedrals we had been seeing during the trip.
I particularly liked that the stations of the cross were colorful paintings, not statues or stone reliefs like most we had seen.   We lit candles and sat in awe of this sacred place.

Back outside,we walked to the back of the church parking lot to where the rectory was.   There was a sign on the door that the genealogist who usually was there on Saturday morning for questions would not be able to make it on this day.   We were a little disappointed, but lingered admiring the stonework from the outside and generally looking like tourists I suppose.  A wonderful and affable older gentleman walked straight toward us and asked if we were visiting.   We had a nice conversation about our trip thus far, and our regret that the genealogist would not be available.    In the meantime, another man walked along the driveway toward the back of the church, and our new friend enthusiastically announced that this was Father Michael and he most certainly could help us.

St. Finbarr South Parish Cork

And he did.   He walked us to the lower level of the back of the church and opened a huge door to what looked like a vault.   Inside there were rows of 16 inch book binders, carefully labelled with their contents, births, marriages, deaths, and the associated dates.  I pulled out an ancestry information sheet that I had tucked into my bag - just in case.  Father Michael pulled out the huge volumes that corresponded.  He turned the large yellow pages to find the calligraphic lettering, Anderson, Buckley. Births, marriage, seeing it in person was special.

One of these huge volumes had a binder label that was somewhat torn and Father Michael handed me an ordinary tape dispenser and would I please place a bit of tape on it while he held it?   Of course I would, but I was worried about placing ordinary tape over a centenarian treasure.   Back it went into the vault.  We were totally filled with awe as we saw him close the vault and spin the large lock.

Before we departed, he pulled out a surname directory and looked up the names we were researching.   He noted that there had been a Saint Harrington and he would research him and send us the information.  Just this week, we received an envelope in the mail from him with the information he wanted us to have.   The goodwill and blessings from this Ireland trip continue....

Is there a connection to a painting here?  Yes.  There was an astonishing spray of roses outside Father Michael's; and he was the gardener extraordinaire.  His secret to success?  He confided it was horse manure.  I was inspired to use the Daniel Keys floral palette and methods to paint the five inch wide roses cultivated by Father Michael to record this memorable visit to Cork.