The Irish Abroad

Being an Irish Immigrant...She left Ireland aged 13-14 alone to find her mother.
It took a lot of getting used to, and there was lots of coming and going for her until the births of herfour children, her first two sons born here in England the third son born in Cavan in Ireland and the fourth, a girl born here in England. Now 41 and due a trip home on business.

Returns to the homeland are full of mixed feelings for her. The last time she was there she met with her first and only love she met him aged 12 and loved him for yeeeearsss, well into adulthood, reunited after 26 years. He never paid her much attention then, but now he was, she was flattered, nervous still though and silly. He gently reminded her how defiant rebellious and crazy she was, however it hurt like a knife in the heart. It brought back a lot of negative feelings and memories she had buried, it was so intense, now they haven't been in contact again, she buried it. Now days before her return theres a lump in her throat actively avoiding thinking, looking for closure, or explanation, no,she's only going because I have to. Its like she only goes for funerals, or weddings! There are millions of us out there, the young (ish) Irish abroad, with memories of old arse pubs with the stench of tobacco and pissy old men and toilets lol!
But then theres the convent, a Magdelene Asylum, to think she once thought this was a normal home, the redress system yet to account for her story as a minor in Dublin under the care of the Catholic Church, from a staunch catholic background she's now unsure of her faith. Redress System or no Redress System this story will out eventually she is sure of it.
A tinge of sadness when you see there are no known faces anymore and she's just a stranger with a funny accent in her own land!