52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

The writing prompt for Week 11 is “Luck.” Being of Irish American descent, and with St. Patrick’s Day just a week away, I decided to look into the term “luck of the Irish” and how it coincides with my ancestry. I surmise that most people who hear the term, luck of the Irish, think the Irish are lucky. Irish symbols of luck include shamrocks, leprechauns, pots of gold and rainbows, all happy items.

However, in his book, “1001 Things Everyone Should Know About Irish American History,” author Edward T. O’Connell, Associate Professor of History at Holy Cross College at Notre Dame writes that the term is not of Irish origin.

“During the gold and silver rush years in the second half of the 19th century, a number of the most famous and successful miners were of Irish and Irish American birth….Over time this association of the Irish with mining fortunes led to the expression ‘luck of the Irish.’ Of course, it carried with it a certain tone of derision, as if to say, only by sheer luck, as opposed to brains, could these fools succeed.” (1)

Other sources have a more positive spin on the term. “The word luck is of Dutch origin and probably dates from the 1500’s when it was shortened from the word gheluc, meaning “happiness, good fortune.” It did not become associated with the Irish in Ireland. “The luck of the Irish” is a phrase that has actually been traced back to 1800’s California during the gold rush, when it became apparent to the thousands of unlucky prospectors that many of those who’d struck it rich were of Irish descent.” (2)

When I look at my ancestors and my own family I do not consider us to be particularly lucky or unlucky. Rather than luck, we have worked hard and have educated ourselves to maintain satisfying lives. Along the way there have been mishaps and illnesses that have sidetracked individual’s goals and aspirations.

Personally I have been lucky a few times in my life. For example, when I was a senior in high school I won an all expense honeymoon that I had to claim within 2 or 3 years (can’t recall how many years). I felt lucky, however, I did not marry within the time limit and lost that prize. When I graduated from college as a primary education teacher Wisconsin was experiencing an excess of graduates and I couldn’t find a job. As luck would have it, I found a job in Alabama and had to move there. Yes, I was lucky I had a job, but not so lucky to have to move so far from home. I had cancer in 2004 and I am still here cancer-free. As I was going through it, people would tell me I was lucky that I was declared cancer-free after I had surgery. I would say, no, I would be lucky if I never got cancer. The truth is in the eye of the beholder!

My philosophy of life looks something like this. I believe life will work out as it is supposed to and if I live a good life, good things will happen. I don’t give a lot of credence to luck.