;OUR STARS FOR LIFE A Promise Fulfilled.

OUR STARS FOR LIFE

once upon a time........ I made a PROMISE   15 years ago........
Once open a time in a little town in Ireland  Tralee County Kerry . a little girl was born . On the eleventh of October 1957 . I was named Mary Josephine Moriarty
 I weighed in a mighty 4lbs 9ozs
More hair than body. I was the sixth child.  I had two brothers and three sisters older than me.
My mother was not very well when I was born. During the nineteen fifties Tuberculosis was rampant in Ireland. My mother had lost all her family through this disease. Her last brother to died  May 1st1955 she was an only girl and she had three brothers.
Early 1959 my mother contracted T.B and was hospitalized in Edenburn Sanatorium. Even though a cure was found I can’t describe what she was going through knowing her whole family had died and also now she had six children. And would she ever come out of their alive.
It must have been torture for her
We lived in Ballyseedy with my father and grandmother in a two bedroom cottage just outside Tralee called Powlawadra The eldest at the time was my sister  she was nine two brothers aged 8 and 7 and two sisters 6 and 3 I was 18ths old the baby.
It can’t have been easy on my father or grandmother especially when Mom was not their. I don’t know the circumstances of how it all came about .But I do now .On the 16thof June 1959 I was committed to an in industrial school in Tralee
Here is a true transcript of my court order
Case no 543
Complainant: Michael O Regan I.S.P.C.C
Defendant: Mary Moriarty Poulawaddra  Tralee
 
The above named Mary Moriarty was before Killarney District Court on the 16thof June 1959on foot of application of the I.S.P.C.C. that she appeared to be under the age of 15 years having been born on the 5thof November 1957and found at Killarney having a parent who did not exercise proper guardianship
 
And the court did order that the said Mary Moriarty be committed to Pembroke Alams Industrial School Tralee to be detained until the 5thof November 1973.
Childs Father present in court consented to making of said order
Judge M. P. Buckley presided over the case.
 
When I read this it does make me sad.. To think at the age of 20ths I was before a judge and given a criminal record. 
My only crime was I was born
The story that I tell is my story as seen through the eyes of a child.  I had to put myself back into the industrial school and relive it as it was  It was not easy but I know by the time I have done this you will have a clear insight to my life in the industrial school.  
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  My sister JOAN was diagnosed with cancer in 1989 . After her treatment Joan told me she had got the all clear ! I believed her. When JOAN rang me ay work, and told me in one breath she was going to die  hearing does words and her voice . Mir! I have about 48 hours to live Can you come home  ! I never ever expected it .  My world fell apart. After 5 years to battle her cancer mostly in silence. I just could not believe what I was hearing.   it was true!  When i did spend my last few precious moments alone with Joan. I PROMISED her that one day!  I would do something special in her memory. and she will always be remembered!  for what a wonderful  mother, ,sister she was to me and everyone who had the pleasure to meet her. We were reared in an orphange for almost twelve years. Joan been the eldest. Mom was very sick i was a baby Joan was five.  On the 16th of June 1994 with the windows opened wide and the sun shining on her face.  Surrounded by her Children ,Husband  "MOM " sisters and brothersJOAN FELL ASLEEP

 When I made my promise to Joan I knew in my heart!  One day, I would have to fulfill It.  Not a day went by, when i did not think of Joan and my promise , or try to think up an idea. I have had quite a few.  I had to wait for the , CHRISTMAS 2005 sitting on my bed chatting with my sister Martina and her daughter Eve Marie.  "something happened "    and I started my PROMISE

"OUR STARS FO LIFE"    HAVE YOU LOST A LOVE ONE  TO CANCER

YOU  are  INVITED to take part in a unique fundraising event  in aid of ALL our Country’s cancer care units. Friday November 13th  to Sunday the 13th of December is been designated national  and international ‘Our Stars for Life’ –  children, teenagers and adults are invited to  make a star in memory of love ones,  who we lost to cancer . No two stars will be the same – as no two star makers are,  neither are the loved ones we have lost... so each star will have its own special story to tell

 STARS  MADE FROM PAPER  OR "COLOURED CARDBOARD ONLY" 

DECORATE YOUR STAR ANY WAY YOU WISH ! about the size of an A4 sheet of paper once its bio-degradable.

YOUR STAR JOURNEY starts with you :  Send yourstar "

send no money with your star    Donate your euro, to a charity of YOUR choice in your own local community . all i am waiting upon is your

FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS GONE THROUGH THE PAIN OF LOSING A LOVED ONE .OUR STARS FOR LIFE IS DEDICATED TO YOU  LETS CELEBRATE THEIR LIFE   MAKE YOUR    a star for life!   Please help spread the word to your family and friends. MY IM THIS YEAR IS TO RECIEVE ONE MILLION STARS AND DECORATE CHRISTMAS TREES ALL OVER IRELAND WITH YOUR STARS  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caiX_EUFd9s
 

MY PROMISE FULFILLED

some stories do have a happy ending:   i like to feel mine has ! THANK YOU MOM 

WITH LOVE                                            

Miriam         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caiX_EUFd9s                                 JOAN