Footprints Across America. Retracing an Irishman's Journey During the Last Great Gold Rush

211 Pages·2013·2.03 MB·English

by  Michael McMonagle

About the Author
Michael McMonagle was born in 1953. A graduate of University College Dublin
and University of Dundee, he has worked in community development and as a
manager of children’s services within the Health Service Executive. He is
currently a director of the Lifestart Foundation and chairperson of Tir Boghaine
Teo. His interests include sea kayaking, cycling, hiking, wildlife, trees and
conservation. He lives with his family in Mountcharles, County Donegal. His
previous travel book is called Walking the Back Roads: A Journey from Donegal
to Clonmacnoise (Appletress Press, 2008).
F A A
OOTPRINTS CROSS MERICA
Retracing an Irishman’s Journey During the Last Great
Gold Rush
Michael McMonagle
Published by Orpen Press Lonsdale House Avoca Avenue Blackrock
Co. Dublin Ireland
e-mail: [email protected] www.orpenpress.com © Michael McMonagle, 2013
Paperback ISBN 978-1-909895-00-3
ePub ISBN 978-1-909895-28-7
Kindle ISBN 978-1-909895-27-0
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior, written permission of the
publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired
out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than
that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the
subsequent purchaser.
For all emigrants and refugees who, like Micí Mac Gabhann, have
crossed a ‘bridge of tears’ in their lives.
Acknowledgements
Travel writers always carry a debt of gratitude to strangers they meet along the
way. This book would not be possible without them.
Friends and family have helped shape this book. Special thanks to my family
Terry, Eoghan, Aoife and Cróna, and to the observations of Kevin Montgomery,
Dr Aisling Gillen, Fatemeh Movahedi, Keith Corcoran, Marie Sundberg,
Winnifred McNulty, Richard Boggs and Catherine Breslin.
All at Orpen Press have done a great job in bringing this book to fruition,
especially Eileen O’Brien and Elizabeth Brennan.
Thanks to John Hearne who edited this book with a discerning and
sympathetic eye.
Seán Ó hEochaidh brought the story of Micí Mac Gabhann to the world. This
enriched our understanding of the Irish emmigration story. Valentin Iremonger
brought the story to a wider audience through his authentic translation of Rotha
Mór an tSaoil into English.
The author is grateful to Horslips and Barry Devlin for permission to use a
quote from their song, ‘The Wrath of the Rain’.
‘Where have they gone to, those faded faces,
Those fierce moustachioed men?’
Excerpt from ‘The Wrath of the Rain’ by Horslips, Aliens (1977, Oats/Horslips Records) Copyright © 1977,
Horslips. Reproduced with permission.
‘Where have they gone to, those faded faces,
Those fierce moustachioed men?’
Excerpt from ‘The Wrath of the Rain’ by Horslips, Aliens (1977, Oats/Horslips Records) Copyright © 1977,
Horslips. Reproduced with permission.
Contents
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Map of America – The Lower Forty-Eight and Map of Western Montana
Map of Yukon and Alaska
Preface
1. Road to Bethlehem
2. Easton to Harrsiburg
3. Harrisburg to Chicago
4. Chicago to Minot
5. Minot to Whitefish, Montana
6. Whitefish and Flathead Reservation
7. St Ignatius and Missoula
8. Philipsburg and Gold Creek
9. Butte, America
10. The Bitterroots
11. Cowboy Country
12. Browning and Glacier National Park
13. Browning to Seattle
14. Anchorage, Alaska
15. Fairbanks
16. Fort Yukon
17. Fairbanks to Dawson
18. Dawson City
19. Dawson to Whitehorse
20. Whitehorse to Anchorage
21. Home
About the Book
Map of America – The Lower Forty-Eight and Map of Western
Montana