My Family has been rooted along the east coast of the U.S. for a long time. Starting in New York, we slowly spread out along the coast, reaching Maryland and Pennsylvania where my immediate family and I live. My true homeland where I can trace my roots back for generations in Ireland. Both my mother's and father's sides have strong traces of Irish blood with very slight german being mixed in on my father’s father's side. Focusing on my father’s mother’s side we find the American story starts off with residency in Long Island, New York where my father, his brother, my grandmother, and great-grandmother and grandfather lived in a small red brick house not too far from where my father would attend Catholic School. The story behind my family leaving Ireland for America is my great-grandfather. During peak conflict between British occupation and rule over Ireland, my great-grandfather served in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). During his service as a member of the IRA, he was a gun runner moving weapons illegally under British rule to assist with fighting back against the occupation of British Rule. Well after years of service, he was being persecuted and the only safe option for him and my great-grandmother was to flee to America. Now after many years my family still holds our Irish heritage close to us and uses it as a strength that binds each and every one of our family members together. Who knows how the book shown above will change and grow with time?

– Jason Brunicke

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more