Preserving Irish Ancestry

In Reno, Nevada recently, the North and the South came together to save a common concern, Irish ancestors. The two chapters of the Sons and Daughters of Ireland pooled their manpower and their efforts to clean up and preserve the graves of Nevada’s Irish immigrants.  The Southern Nevada chapter traveled to the North and the Hillside Cemetery.

Sons and Daughters of Erin come together statewide to preserve Irish heritage in Reno.

“We have 23 Irish immigrants buried here, and 22 of their descentants,” said Fran Tryon, with the Hillside Cemetery Foundation.  

They spent hours together in the hot sun clearing brush, cleaning up the gravesites and spreading decorative stones. The Southern chapter also donated a thousand dollars to help with the project.

Sons and Daughters of Erin give old Irish graves a new look.

 We are so thankful for our brothers and sister of the South who have come to help us with this project,” said Willie Puchert, President of the Northern Nevada chapter of the Sons and Daughters of Erin.

Willie Puchert, President of the Northern Nevada Chapter of the Sons and Daughters of Erin.

And after the work was done, members of both celebrated their Celtic connections meeting up at an Irish Pub in downtown Reno to share a few pints and stories of their roots together.

Members of the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Sons and Daughters of Erin, including Missy Reinheimer.

No matter where you live, if you have Irish heritage, chances are you celebrate it wholeheartedly. Even if you’ve never been to Ireland, you revel in what you know is there. Even if all you know of the island is what you’ve heard from relatives who have never been there themselves, we all feel a camaraderie to all of those to whom we are even distantly related.

A group effort for a statewide cause.

 You can hear all about the joint project in Episode 36 of Erin’s Isle.

You can contact the Northern Nevada Chapter of the Sons and Daughters of Erin at  http://www.irishnv.org/

 You can contact the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Sons and Daughters of Reno at: https://www.snsdoe.com/

You can contact the Hillside Cemetery in Reno. http://hcpfoundation.squarespace.com/

And if you have stories of Irish connections to your town, let me know at ErinMeehanBreen@sbcglobal.net. It could be the next feature on Erin’s Isle.