Aisling Center To Launch Mem'ry DVD

The Aisling Irish Community Center will launch its documentary about Irish immigration from the 1920s until the 1960s, Memory Brings Us Back: Irish Stories of Farewells and Fortunes, on Thursday, November 20 at the Irish Consulate.

The documentary is an extension of the successful book, While Mem'ry Brings Us Back Again, which recounted the personal histories of 35 Irish immigrants who arrived in America between 1927-1964.

Narrated by Ciarán O'Reilly of the Irish Repertory Theatre, Memory Brings Us Back brings to life the memories of 10 immigrants, many of whom were contributors to the original 2006 memoir. Interviewees include:

• Bill Burke, president of Country Bank, 1988 St. Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal, native of Co. Sligo
• Joe Cunningham, longtime bandleader and a 96-year-old native of Co. Clare
• Terry Connaughton, restaurateur, former police officer, and native of Co. Roscommon
• Agnes Delaney, social worker, chair of the Aisling Center, and a native of Co. Galway
• Sean Fleming, musician and Viet Nam veteran originally from Killarney, Co. Kerry
• Josephine Hall, a cancer survivor and successful business woman from Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan
• Eileen Moran, who left Cork City and arrived in America in 1951 at age 16
• Jerry O'Connor, a former sheriff's lieutenant and Limerick native who now lives in Philadelphia
• Martin O'Malley, a retired bus driver from Co. Mayo who helped put 6 children through college
• Chrissie Scott, assistant treasurer of the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk & Queens and a native of Co. Longford.

"This documentary is a natural progression arising from the unexpected success of our book, While Mem'ry Brings Us Back Again," said Agnes Delaney, chair of the Aisling Center.

"The book struck a chord with people not only in the New York area, but across America and in Ireland.

"We realized after the memoir's fourth printing that these extraordinary tales from ordinary people resonated within the Irish community.

"The DVD brings their compelling stories to life and provides a visual and oral history for what some have called 'Ireland's Greatest Generation' who felt that their best chance in life was to leave their homeland and come to America."

The book arose from the Aisling Center's Friday afternoon creative writing workshop for seniors lead by Frances Browner.

She simply asked participants in the sessions to start writing down their memories of coming to the U.S. and how they built their lives here.

For their first assignment, the trigger phrase was: I remember...

The suggestion ignited a torrent of recollections from around the table about sailing on ships such as the SS America, SS Washington, the Britannica; the Olympia; and the Queen Elizabeth.

The result is a moving 295-page publication that chronicles the extraordinary stories of ordinary people who made the journey from their homeland in search of a better life.

"We tried to include as many compelling personal histories as we could in this one-hour DVD, which also includes interviews, archival footage, and bonus features," added Agnes Delaney.

"This documentary is an heirloom gift that captures forever the sacrifices, successes, tragedies and triumphs of Irish immigrants who came to the U.S. between the 1920s and 1960s.

"No one has documented this generation of immigrants as extensively as this DVD has."

Memory Brings Us Back: Irish Stories of Farewells and Fortunes is produced by the Aisling Irish Community Center and Oval Park Pictures.

The documentary was written and directed by Derek Woods, and narrated by Ciarán O'Reilly.

It features music by Joanie Madden and Cherish the Ladies, Dierdre Connolly, Paddy Noonan, and Sean Fleming, as well as photographs from John Minihan, the Irish Arts Center, George Zimbel, and many of the seniors at the Aisling Center in Yonkers.

James Carney was the associate producer and Sean McGinn was the director of photography.

The Memory Brings Us Back: Irish Stories of Farewells and Fortunes DVD is available for a donation of $20.00 plus $5.00 shipping & handling via www.aislingcenter.org or by sending a check for $25.00 to Aisling Irish Community Center, 990 McLean Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10704.

The proceeds will support the Aisling Center's community outreach programs.