REILLY folklore

REILLY

My great uncle, John Alexander Reilly was named after Alexander O'Reilly who escaped Ireland during Cromwell's time. He went to Spain, a Catholic country, and became a general, and he was appointed Governor of Louisiana territory and Puerto Rico. While in the Americas, he built a fort in Puerto Rico’s El Castillo. His portrait is hanging in the fort today.

Another ancestor, Myles The Slasher O’Reilly fought at the battle of Fean. Myles was a soldier who was defending a bridge in Westmeath at Fean. During the battle Myles single-handedly with his sword in hand beat back the invading force of English soldiers, but he also sent for reinforcements to come help defend the bridge. Myles did battle for hours with his soldiers. They were under heavy attack, when Myles was almost done for from his wounds when his reinforcements arrived. This bit of history is being saved by Ireland's historical groups.

Within the Reilly family, my great uncle became John O’Reilly. Great uncle John’s own family started out with Della Reilly (no O), followed by John O’Reilly—with more to follow. All with O's.

One story goes that during the Troubles in Ireland, Bernard and John were here in America. They got stolen guns scheduled for destruction at the Armory in the Presidio. During the theft their wives participated, carrying gun within their long dresses. The guns were taken to a church were the serial numbers were lifted. Except a few slipped by, the law enforcement was on the case. The scheduled fall guy took the rap and went to prison at Leavenworth for 12 years. 

Then Great-uncle John moved his family to Los Angeles were he worked as a policemen. Great- grandpa and Grandma moved to Marin County full-time until everything mellowed out. 

Another story goes that John was fleeing the law in Ireland and needed to get out of the country undetected, so he changed his name. We'll never know.

Great-grandpa’s sister Ellen was a character. Early 1904 was when another migration from Ireland began. The stories are shadowy and Great-grandpa sent money to Ireland—100 dollars every three months. He worked for the Post Office for a few years, stable, but it didn’t pay that well. 

Probation forced our whiskey-loving family into strange occupations. Great-aunt Ellen became a brewer of hootch or bathtub gin. When the customers bought batches that were "a little stiff," the guys would be found around town. 

Great- grandma’s aunt Mae was in the family business of bathtub gin, the revenuers came busting things up. Aunt Mae was napping on the bed with some babies and the jugs hidden within her skirt. Unfortunately what signaled the law, was that the plumbing was a little full of mash.

Great-grandpa’s brother lived in Los Angeles and Hollywood was right there. So Great- uncle John was chosen for an episode of “This Is Your Life.” The brothers got together for the T.V. show in L.A. 

Great-great grandma Brigid Reilly was on her way from Ireland. When she landed in New York she was given prizes, luggage, refrigerators, and other trinkets. These trinkets never stayed with her, and never went back to Ireland. The Irish family still wants them to this day. She arrived in Los Angeles and they all did the T.V. thing. They hadn’t seen their mum since 1904-1910 or thereabouts. Here in the 1950s, they were able to see her, the families were able to meet.

Grandma’s memory of her grandmother was that she was a tiny lady. Grandma brought her grandmother some chocolates and she said, “Oh that women won’t let me have those, take them with you.” Great-great-grandmother was staying with Ellen and she was a “bag” who demanded respect and compliance from even her mother....

(Sadly the rest of this family history monologue as told from the point of view by a fictitious Nephew Sean, is lost, an ASCII rebellion? I don't know. But it does preserve some of the family stories in memoir format. I needed 20 informants for my folklore class, so young Sean became an extra informant. I later removed the extra generation, as it’s just too confusing. MH 11/2015)