The Callaghans: Chapter 9.

 

Chapter 9

Finbar was born weighing five pounds eight ounces, which wasn't bad for his mother, who had smoked at the start of her pregnancy. She gave up as the pregnancy and taste of cigarettes didn't match her taste; Sweet Afton or not.

Patrick was delighted with the result and broke down in tears of joy when he was told, as he waited outside of the delivery room.

The time had come to take the wheel barrow home, which was a slower walk and he stopped off at The Brazen Head to 'wet the baby's head' on the way.

Joe was as delighted as Patrick when he found out. The blood and other remains of the trauma had been cleared away by the time Patrick got home, which wasn't early as there were many at The Brazen Head who wanted to wet the baby's head no matter whose baby's head was being wet.

As Finbar and Carmel were in a public hospital they might have been targets for the Magdalene Laundries, so Theresa booked Carmel in as Mrs. Síle O'Brien and managed to put her wedding ring on Carmel's finger, thanking her lucky stars that it fitted. Before they parted for the night Theresa told Patrick about the ring and the name change so that when he visited her the next day he would be able to find which ward Síle O'Brien was in. There was a one hour time for visitors and the second time he went to the hospital he saw, as he was on the way out, Carmel's parents. Her father looked sober, which was a change from the last time he has saw him, and he wondered how they knew about Carmel.

He stood across from the reception desk but couldn't hear what they were saying as they were out of ear shot. He could see them talking and getting agitated. Then someone of authority came, in the form of a small man in a black suit wearing a pair of pinz-nez spectacles, which kept falling off as he tried to calm the Wilde's down.

Patrick crossed the floor to be closer so he could hear. Pinz-nez said 'we have nobody here called Wilde nor Callaghan. Maybe you have the wrong hospital; try the Rotunda.'

The Wildes turned around to see Patrick walking out – the Reverend ran after him 'Callaghan' he called.

Patrick kept walking.

'Callaghan' he shouted again and caught up with him.

'Callaghan' he said again 'don't ignore me.'

He had his hand on Patrick's shoulder. Patrick looked him defiantly in the eye and didn't move an inch.

'I'm talking to you, Callaghan. I need to know what's going on.'

Patrick wasn't used to this kind of confrontation as the only kind he knew was a sock on the jaw, to which he was more than able to retaliate.

'I don't know what you're talking about - Mister Wilde isn't it?'

Wilde ignored him. Patrick gently removed Wilde's hand.

'Reverend' said Wilde.

Patrick walked passed him and started down the steps at the front of the hospital.

'How dare . . .' shouted Wilde 'how dare you ignore me!'

Patrick turned at the bottom of the steps and faced Wilde.

'What are you doing here?' said Wilde.

'I work here' said Patrick 'I'm a porter – I started last week.'

By now Mrs. Wilde had joined the reverend. 'Patrick' she said 'what's going on?'

'You tell me' said Patrick, and walked on.

He wouldn't turn around and face them but the worry was, he didn't know how they found out. It couldn't have been Carmel but who could it be?

It turned out that a Methodist preacher recognised her as she was brought in. It was never a busy place for protestants as there must have been over ninety percent of births at The Coombe to Catholics. There was quite a bit of commotion, as there would be, with a pregnant woman coming into hospital in a wheel barrow, so everybody noticed. But Theresa recognised the old Methodist preacher, from the time when she worked at The Coombe, when she got the idea for the name change and her wedding ring.

Even though mother and baby were doing well, they all knew that time was the essence and it wouldn't be long before the Wilde's discovered where Carmel was. Maybe they meant well and just wanted to see their new grandson – their only grandson and the only one they will ever have. It was the alternative which worried Carmel as she knew her parents hardly had any feelings or ambitions for children as she had experienced all her life.

She remembered what her mother said to her on that fateful day in Saint Stephens Green; she changed from what Carmel mistakenly thought was a break through to love between them, to reveal her true self. She had no doubt that her parents wanted rid of Finbar from their lives via the Magdalene Laundries where babies were taken from their mothers, and given away; not all of the babies survived.

It hurt her when her mother called her beautiful baby a little bastard.

The first time Theresa came to see her at the hospital was out of the set visiting hours, due to her status as an ex nurse, and she surprised Carmel when she arrived.

'I don't know if you realised what happened when we brought you here last night, and who that man was who spoke to yeh?'

'It was all a haze; I thought that was a dream – I was delirious – I remember him as – yes - he was a colleague of my father.'

'Yes he's been visiting The Coombe and Rotunda for years, but when he used your name I knew it would be risky for you.'

'In what way?' said Carmel.

'The Magdalene Laundries are a real threat, a real thing.'

'That's what Pat says – I gave it no mind.'

'They are a real threat – I would have taken you to the Regina Coeli Hostel in North Brunswick Street but, it didn't seem right for you.'

'I don't know that place.' said Carmel.

'It's a hostel but I don't know if they would have been able to help you, with your complications; you had a C-section.'

'A section?'

'You remember nothing?'

'Not a thing.' said Carmel.

'They had to cut little Finbar out; a caesarean.'

Carmel puffed a deep sigh.

'You won't be able to have any more children.' said Theresa.

A tear appeared in Carmel's eye as she said 'That will make me more than a little determined to look after our little miracle.'

She reached out and held Theresa's 'I'm so grateful for what you are doing for us.'

'Ah it's nothing.' said Theresa 'I know a lot of women have given birth at Regina Coeli, but you needed speciality treatment.'

'You must think where you are going to live when you get out of here.'

'My mother knows Pat and Joe's address – I don't know what kind of authority the Magdalene people have, or even if my parents would put me with them – I am eighteen.'

'I've been thinking about it' said Theresa 'and I might have a solution. I'll come back at visiting time when Pat's here and I'll put it to you.'

'Okay' said Carmel 'Okay.'

Theresa met Carmel and Patrick at the hospital after checking Finbar who was in a ward with other babies; he looked like an angel in the crib with a spot of hair at the back of his neck and on the top of his head. He had Finbar O'Brien on his wrist which only Theresa and the ward sister knew. It could have become extremely awkward if Theresa and the sister disappeared as Carmel would have a lot of unbelievable explaining to do; but that didn't happen. Patrick looked into Finbar too and was sitting quite close to Carmel who was lying back in the bed.

'What you need to do' said Theresa 'is to get out of here as soon as you can. That preacher only comes to the Coombe once a week and if he sees you he will tell your parents – which I think he already did.'

'That's true.' said Carmel.

'They were here yesterday and I think they'll be back.'

'Now I don't know the full story but you have a few choices till you are married. Mother and baby can stay with me – I have a spare room – you can see if it's possible for you to stay on at Lower Baggott Street or . .' and then she paused – 'my daughter, Síle, who is a traveller, is in Galway. Her fear-céile – is away in . . er, he's away: and she has room for you if you want to stay in the caravan for a while.'

Carmel and Patrick knew she was using an Irish language word for husband and it made them think of her origins, which was in a stronghold of the Irish language – a Gaeltacht - in Connemara.

'In Galway?' said Carmel.

'In Galway. Think about it – it won't be forever – and they'll look after yeh.'

'I think we'll have to think about it' said Patrick 'and talk to me da.'

'You do that' said Theresa 'Joe's a good man – seanfhile - he'll know.'

They listened to what Theresa suggested and let it sink in and Joe listened, when he arrived.

'The Travellers' said Joe 'are a close knit group; they're like a clan and they have this wonderful word – endogamous – do you know what that means Pat?'

'Endog . . what?'

'Endogamous.'

'Something about a dog there?'

'Don't be acting the shite - a dog – ya bleedn' galoot ye - I'm being serious: it means they only marry their own and might not welcome strangers into the group.'

'My Síle was welcomed with open arms – and they got married.'

'I know' said Joe 'Síle, fell in love with a traveller, and an adventurer – he swept her off her feet, she didn't know what hit her – how's that going?'

'They're trying hard.'

'If he could keep out of Gaol'

Theresa stood up.

'I know, I know!' said Joe 'It's hard for a traveller with the prejudice they have against them, but he could have worked with me, I gave him a chance and we could have done well.'

'He just didn't like pigs – but he was a hard worker.' said Theresa.

'Yes' said Joe 'and I gave up the pigs all together.'

'A good bare knuckle fighter.' said Patrick.

'He was, he was,' said Theresa 'but he should have minded his own business when he hit that guard – but never mind that - Síle was accepted and loves her.'

'Getting back to these two.' from Joe.

'Three.' said Patrick.

'Two.' said Joe 'till yuz are married! If they went to Cork – you did say Cork didn't ya?'

'Galway.' said Theresa.

'Galway then – I don't want to be going to Galway every time I want to see Finbar – oh and Carmel.'

'What about me?' said Patrick.

'Yes you too – we'd both be travelling. Now if they stay with Theresa, my place could be their official home, so they could get the marriage Banns read with my address and yours in Dún Laoghaire; it's unlikely your mam and dad will hear them in Dún Laoghaire, in any case.'

Joe looked at Carmel who was fast asleep.

'Oh' he said 'God bless her – she must be worn out.'

Carmel, who was still in her confinement, didn't have much to say in the conversation at all. She had nearly died, two days before, having her baby: she could hardly remember anything after she saw the blood on the floor: there was terrible pain and there was no relief - even for a moment - from the unbearable terror and impending thrusts she felt physically and emotionally towards certain death. She didn't know what Joe did or didn't do to somehow give her some relief from the pain but he did something – and then Theresa suddenly arrived and organised everything, including making use of the wheel barrow, to make sure Finbar was guided and welcomed into the world.

'Time to go.' said Theresa 'The child needs to sleep.'

'I think he's fast asleep' said Patrick.

Theresa went to Carmel and kissed her on the forehead 'No, I mean this child.' she said and kissed both Joe and Patrick parting with 'Don' forget to get her churched.'

'Yes.' said Patrick.

As she walked out Patrick said to Joe 'Churched?'

Joe shrugged.

Carmel and Joe, felt a closeness to one another: they had been through a crisis that no two people could take lightly and it would never leave them and when Joe went, and left her alone with Patrick, she opened her eyes and was able to hoosh herself up in the bed, on to an elbow. Patrick came close to her physically so they could talk quietly.

'I do love you' she said 'this has been a big – a big – a huge great thing in our lives.'

A tear came into Patrick's eye; he took her hand and gave it a little squeeze. She put a finger to his lips 'Just listen to me' she said 'I don't have the energy to interject. That's why you didn't hear a word from me when youz were arranging my life.'

'You were asleep.'

'Yes' she chuckled.

He gave her hand another squeeze, not for what she said, but the way she said youz instead of you.

'If you listen to me, very carefully, I'll try and tell you what I want.'

A puzzled look on Patrick's face.

'I have to wait for my stitches to heel' she said.

'Your stitches?'

'Yes.' she replied 'I had a caesarian. They had to cut Finbar out.'

He shook his head.

'God love you.' she said 'I never thought: there will be no moving for me, for a while; I can hardly walk. It takes me all my time to go to the lavo: you know how I love you and I don't want to upset you at all but . . . I did say God love you but, and I know it'll be hard for you to hear this, I don't believe in God: never mind Methodism – I don't believe there is a God. So I have no problem moving in somewhere with you. I don't want to go to Theresa's by myself and Finbar; I want to be with you. I know your father, Joe will not like it, but we have been together, slept together. . '

'I didn't sleep at all.'

' . . and we know each other in the biblical sense. Aisling is by herself in the family home and always said, if needs be we can move in with her; there's plenty of room – when I say 'we' I mean you too.'

'It's in Dún Laoghaire but?'

'Yes we'll need to be careful.'

'My father wouldn't like that' he said 'not till we marry.'

'That's up to you.' said Carmel 'and I know what they mean about being churched and I will get it done.'

'Get what done?'

'Nobody will let me into their house unless I go and see the priest first – on my way out of here; if that's all it takes what does it matter? I have spent a lifetime living with two missionaries, even though I was away at school a lot; I let people believe what they want to believe.'

Patrick left Carmel in bed: as soon as he went she fell back to sleep. It was a hard thing for Patrick to hear; he kept it from Carmel, he thought, but it did set him thinking. She didn't believe there was a god – no he hadn't heard that before. She didn't say she was a heathen, as that might imply that there is, or was, one. He had heard the hymn 'All things bright and beautiful' with the line 'the lord God made them all' and, as a child, he'd questioned how that could have been done. He did ask the teachers at school who told him about Doubting Thomas the disciple of Christ, who doubted him and over the years the sobriquet was given to anybody who questioned things. In other words a good way of shutting a child up.

When he got outside, Joe was waiting for him and he was talking to a women about his age, or so – in their fifties – and as he approached she said 'this must be Patrick.'

'Yes' said Patrick.

'The last time I saw you, you were a baby.'

'This is the woman' said Joe 'who brought you into the world.'

'That's right' said the woman 'I'm nurse . .'

'Mantell' said Patrick.

'You know?'

'I've always known – losing my mother at the start of my life has been relayed to me so many times by me da; detail by detail.'

'He's always been a storyteller' said Nurse Mantell – now the Head Nurse at The Coombe.

©2024 Chris Sullivan