The Last Green Beret
The Last Green Beret by Robert J. Kelly, published by AuthorHouse on May 20, 2000, is a work of fiction that spans 188 pages. This edition presents a narrative that intertwines personal stories, historical facts, and cultural elements related to the Irish experience, particularly focusing on themes of camaraderie and nostalgia. The book captures the essence of a journey from Ireland to America, highlighting the connections to family, heritage, and the emotional landscape of leaving home.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of songs, stories, and recipes that reflect the Irish-American experience, including the tale of Patrick Shannon, a World War I hero, and the poignant account of Michael Fitzpatrick, who received American citizenship posthumously. The narrative also delves into the vibrant life in Chicago’s Irish community, emphasizing the joy found in music and dance, while also addressing the underlying feelings of loneliness associated with leaving one’s homeland. This edition is presented in English and offers a glimpse into the cultural legacy that shapes identity and belonging.
Official synopsis Publisher
Just a Boy from Home
With songs, stories and recipes
Bill Bourke shared this entire book from memory. It contains stories and historical facts about the Catholic Church, the striping of the land after the South gained independence and the words to an IRA song, The Dublin Trials that his father sang. There are many more songs of Mayo, poems and expressions that otherwise could possibly be forgotten or lost if he had not agreed to sit for many hours reminiscing. You will read about Patrick Shannon, a Mayo man who was a hero in World War I. Also, how his good friend Michael Fitzpatrick received his American citizenship 52 years after his untimely death in Korea.
Bill tells of the Irish camaraderie that was already present in Chicago upon his arrival and how he got a job being Just a Boy from Home. The singing and dancing that was found in the neighborhood pubs and said, “Oh, the fun we had!” But, still the innate loneliness that could be felt in a room full of people for the mother he left behind in the tiny cottage, at the end of the road, in the Village of Ballymacredmond, near the town of Ballina, in the County of Mayo, Ireland.
Bill married Kitty Morley, a young girl form County Mayo and continues his trai
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