The crowds yell in unison as their countrymen jog back to their benches after shaking hands with fellow team members. The All-Ireland Football Championship has ended with the Kildare players as the victors. A small ceremony was held following the match in whom the Kildare Captain is presented with a silver cup. The Captain accepts the cup humbly and calls for three cheers for the Cavan Gaels. The Kildare players whoop and holler. They are the first to win the Sam Maguire Cup and the honor is a tremendous achievement.

Joe and Bobby ran down the grassy slope laughing and patting each other on the back as if they too had scored the winning goal just as Bill Mangan had. The air was full of yells and clapping, the sky blue and warm. It was a fine day and a fine match. Joe looked forward to telling his father about it. His father had been unwell that morning and had begged off the trip worrying about his growing knee and back pains.

Joe’s step faltered a bit thinking on his father. The lines on his face had deepened over the last year and his eyes had grown tired and rheumy of late.  Joe is sure it is not just the chill air and age attacking his father. The Nationalist party has been opposed to the Ulster Unionist Party and in January protests erupted between the factions with no clear resolution. His father was part of the Nationalist party. He believed, as did Joe, that a United Ireland is a strong Ireland and that English ‘protection’ has been detrimental to Irish resources and progress.

Joe suspected his father’s involvement was more embroiled then he let on but given the tenuous relationship he had with his father he kept silent.  Their dependency was strained. Joe knew that his father had never gotten over the death of his wife and that Joe was a constant reminder of that loss.

They stopped at a cart along the road where a man and woman were selling farl (triangular cake bread) and pasties (a meat pie) wrapped in wax paper. They slowed to a walk after that and ate in silence.

“Joe have ye thought anymore about what we talked aboot?” Bobby’s mouth was full and he talked around it blowing bits of meat pastie.

Joe chewed slowly and didn’t answer. A month or so ago Bobby had announced his plans to leave Kildare. Not just for Belfast or further North but leave Ireland all together and take ship to America. He wanted Joe to come with him.

The pull to leave was strong. The earth, though its beauty was unmatched, was slowly etching away and his meager savings was dwindling with little or no prospects of income. And with no income, no future or family. Bobby’s argument had been this, yes, but also his reasons were far from seeking a livelihood to raise a family in. He wanted adventure and drink and women.

Joe wanted a family and small farm and peace. He could not imagine life away from these woods and fields. The rivers and green.  He wanted to work the land as his father had and his father before him. But the times were changing. There were wars raging and vast movements outside his world. He felt very separate from all of this, very isolated but he knew it would eventually touch him. It was already in that the villages were emptying out except for the women and children and old men. And with the men went the means to make a living.

“I will speak to my father. Let it lie for a bit longer Bobby, let it lie.”

Next Chapter: Joe Spring 1932, New York