Mary Pat Kelly Galway Bay Book

I have just spent a weekend talking to readers of Galway Bay and it is exhilarating. I was in Chicago for the American Library Association meeting and for the annual Irish Fest at the Irish American Heritage Center. In both places I met people who had enjoyed the story and identified with the characters. Funny to chat about Honora or Maire or Michael Kelly with others who had come to know them too and yet after a few minutes it felt very natural as I'd we were discussing mutual friends. And since this was Chicago, my hometown, our discussion of these fictional characters often led to the "Do you know?" match game someone called "Chicago Bingo." We share our parishes, high schools, start listing names and Bingo! we have someone in common. And since many of my characters were real people I am now meeting their descendants. Sunday at the Irish Fest I signed a book for the great-grand-daughter of Charles Comiskey, founder of the Chicago White Sox. The Fest was a true extravaganza – three days of music and beautifully dressed Irish dancers performing on a raised stage outside, while their little brothers and sisters imitated their movements with great abandon on the pavement below. The Heritage Center was a huge Chicago Public School that a group of Irish Chicagoans bought and transformed over a period of over 25 years. Now a 700-seat auditorium, a large bar, an exquisite library and dozens of meeting rooms and performance spaces show the skill and tenacity of the volunteer carpenters, plumbers and builders who restored hard-wood floors, paneled walls and painted Celtic symbols on the walls. I spoke and signed books in the library presided over by Peg Reid, a career librarian in the Chicago system, who now devotes herself to keeping the community's memories alive in this lovely space. Authors Ann Hasset and Jean Harrington and I talked about how a fascination with history influenced our writing.

Then I went out into the school-yard which had become an outdoor concert venue as well as an open market for all things Irish. I signed books at the stall run by the Barry family who have two beautiful stores in Long Grove, Paddy on the Square and The Irish Boutique. Paddy Barry and his son John were early champions of Galway Bay and this was the third time I've joined then at their booth. We were together at the South Side Gaelic Park Festival and at Printer's Row. So much work goes into setting up for these events and there is a great camaraderie among the vendors. John and Paul Barry, Colin, Laurie and Ryan did the hard work while I talked to the people passing by, many of whom (Thank God) had heard of Galway Bay. Some had read articles in Irish America Magazine or Chicago's Irish American News or seen the reviews in People Magazine or the Tribune or America. Others had heard me on Rick Kogan's WGN radio program or talking on the shows hosted by the members of the Haggerty family or the O'Connors. It's fun to connect this way and a good few wanted a signed copy. "I'm number 46 on the waiting list at the Park Ridge library," one woman told me, "but I think, since you're here, I'll buy the book." Many mentioned the wonderful quote from Frank McCourt on the cover and we talked about the impact his books made on us. Frank is in my thoughts and prayers these days.

Here we all were, the Chicago Irish, celebrating in the sunshine on the best weekend for weather of the year, and all because of the courage of our ancestors. Thanks, Honora!!! I'm off now to catch the plane for Boston. Tomorrow I'll be at Titcombs Book Store in East Sandwich on Cape Cod. Can't wait. I hope I have time in the airport to talk about the ALA. Imagine the good energy generated by 25,000 librarians in one place!