A black rosary, simple in color but heavy with meaning, was gifted to me by my grandfather, who greatly shaped my life. Only days after handing it down to me, he passed away. It was his father’s before him, and his father gave it to him as a child. At the time, his family moved from Galway, Ireland, to the Irish neighborhood of Woodlawn Heights in the Bronx, where they opened an Irish pub. My grandfather was the embodiment of our Irish roots, and he was proud and deeply connected to his Christian faith. This rosary symbolized prayer and spiritual identity for him and his father. His presence always reminded me of where we came from and our Irish heritage, such as thoughts of the laborious work done by the Irish in the U.S.


The rosary includes a Maltese Cross, a symbol of protection and service. In our family, he was the model of how we were all supposed to be connected with God, and he helped me develop my faith in God. When I pray with this rosary, I feel as if he were still beside me, whispering quiet encouragement through the decades of tradition and faith. This rosary is a connection to my grandfather and a representation of how his parents achieved the American dream through resilience and faith. He may be gone, but through this rosary, he continues to live on.

– William Conroy

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant