arranmore island
Arranmore Island.
Off the northern coast of Donegal, Ireland.
The year anniversary of a world with Covid has me thinking a lot about connection.
I took this photo on the same beach that taught me so much when I was 15 years old.
I went to the island with my parents, and I had no idea of the impact that it would have on my life.
We hung out with cousins that I had never met in person, and were introduced to other people on the island that could just 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 at me and say “you must be Bridget McCauley’s great-granddaughter aren’t you?”
That blew me away.
And just us kids - we hung out and danced on the beach until dawn.
[As a girl who grew up in the suburbs of Chicago-that was CRAZY.]
It was strange, but I felt Home.
Those few days opened something in me that gave birth to a desire. A yearning to create something where people would feel a part of something bigger.
In 2019, I had the opportunity to bring my boys to Arranmore. [I was a mess for a solid 3 days.] I kept imagining my great grandmother, on the island, inhabited by no more than 500 people, seeing her great, great-grandchildren in that same space where she grew up— it was just magical.
I’m grateful to my parents who brought me there— and appreciative that I had an opportunity to show my boys, the next generation, the island.
I loved showing them that same beach, the pub, and introducing them to their cousins.
I hope that they always know, they can go back to this place (even if it’s just in their mind) where they can connect and be found.
Honestly, I wish that for the world.
3.12.21
