My Mother, Mary: The Foundation of My Life
This section must begin with my mother, Mary Hannigan. She was born on October 14, 1919,in Concord, New Hampshire , into a world very different from the one we know today. I was her third child and her second daughter, and from the very beginning her presence, love, and example became the foundation on which so much of my life was built.
My mother embodied strength in quiet ways. She carried with her a deep sense of faith, resilience, and devotion to her family. Her wisdom was not always in words, often it was in how she lived, how she carried herself through joy and hardship alike.
This photo shows my mother bringing me home for the first time, where I was lovingly welcomed by my older sister, Joyce, and my brother, Tom.
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Birth Order
One of the major factors of my childhood was my birth order. I was the middle child, the second daughter in a family of five. With a brother a year older and another a year younger, I found my place squarely in the middle of a busy household. There was an advantage to being the […]
Birth Certificate of Thomas Edward Mulligan
At first glance, this appears to be the birth certificate of my great-uncle, Thomas Edward Mulligan. But as I looked more closely, I realized it tells a much larger story, not simply about one child, but about an Irish family that helped shape the history of my own. Thomas was born in Concord, New Hampshire, […]
Quarry Workers Union
This small card represents far more than membership in a labor union. It tells the story of an industry that shaped Concord, New Hampshire, and unexpectedly connected both sides of my family. Issued in 1930, this withdrawal card belonged to my maternal grandfather, James Hannigan. It certified that he was leaving the Quarry Workers’ International […]
