The spring rains had not arrived, the fields were barren, prospects dim. His young family faced hunger if he didn’t act.
He made a life changing decision. He packed up his family and set sail to a foreign land. They were boat people, with nothing to keep them in their homeland they sailed for the opportunity of a new life.
It took four months to cross the oceans and when they arrived it was hot and humid. His brother met them and took them home. They began a new life, in a new land. My grateful, paternal, great grandparents.
Written for: https://carrotranch.com/2017/02/24/february-23-flash-fiction-challenge/
Morpethroad 
Neat Michael, and so very brave for the time.
Yes indeed.
My great, great grandfather came over during the Irish potato famine, with 13 children. It was a different time.
Very much so, my Grandfather was a small boy at the time and he went on to have 11 kids, my dad being one….
My paternal grandfather arrived in Australia from Finland on board “South Carolina” in 1879. He was a shipwright and was 30 when he arrived. He married my grandmother who was 15 and they had four children. My father was third born in 1890. My grandparents were still together when he passed away at the age of 98. I never met him, but knew my grandma very well.
We have interesting origins don’t we…my great grandmother from Ireland didn’t speak English I was once told.
It sounds impossible doesn’t it, but back then they wouldn’t have spoken English…even today, Gaelic is the thing in some regions.
One of my aged aunts told me she remembered her being made fun of by kids in the street. I wonder what they’d think of us now?
When I was a teenager, a woman asked me how long I’d been living in Australia. I remember saying (very indignantly) that I was born here. Have no idea why she asked that
Must have been your intellectual manner…lol
LOL I very much doubt it. I was only interested in SF and adventure novels 🙂
So many of us descend from boat people from across the waters elsewhere. I wonder how many of us of Irish origins are scattered around the globe and yet related? A great take on the prompt, Michael!
Thanks Charli my great grandfather went to America and fought in the Civil War before returning to Ireland, marrying my Great grandmother and then bringing his family to Australia
That’s quite a journey! My third great grandfather whose great grandfather came to the colonies from Ireland fight in the Civil War.
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