Since the day I left Ireland, 43 years ago, I’ve been followed by a ghost….

In the beginning, it wasn’t entirely unwelcome. And to be honest with you, it still

isn’t…. It first started with sounds. I thought it might have been a voice. Then, I felt there was something happening in the shadows around me, particularly at night. I’d seem to sense movement; then, when I’d turn, it would quickly disappear. And now, I feel my eyes being strangely drawn to certain words in books and newspapers — as if some one is steering my eyes….

In 1942, I was a seventeen year old colleen with flaming red hair — but a truly innocent seventeen, mind you! I lived in the Irish country town of Ballynacarrigy, less than a hundred miles west of Dublin. My parents were rigid devil-conscious Catholics, and highly protective of my sister, Nellie, and me. So sheltered we were, that we’d never even been treated to a simple discussion of the “birds and the bees.” We often felt that mother and father hoped we’d accept ourselves as the product of immaculate conception.

We we’re innocent, but yet, even more curious!

Nellie and I, at least, knew we were different from boys. When mother bathed

our younger brother, Terence, we’d sometimes look through the crack in the door. Our imagination filled in the blanks.

So, it was with this barest of introduction into womanhood that I traveled to the West Meath County Fair with my family during June of that year.

The fair was a jumble of midway games, scurrying children, and color — oh, the glorious color! I can see it swirling before my eyes even to this day. And everyone seemed to be bouncing to the Dublin Piper band that strutted up and down the midway. It was such a happy time! Oh, and the fair wasn’t just for young people, you know. Mother brought her jellies for judging, and father helped in the cattle competitions.

After we settled the wagon, Nellie and I were allowed to wander from our parents and explore the fair ourselves.

We toured the midway from end to end and back again until we came upon a crowd of giggling children. They were circled around the most beautiful boy my eyes had ever seen. He was charming the group with finger magic, making coins disappear, and all that. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He was just grand.