Tags
Bridge of Tears, Chain Migration Ireland, Droichead na nDeor, Irish Emigration, Irish Famine, The Great Hunger
BRIDGE OF TEARS – Droichead na nDeor
Inscribed stone, Gleenananeor [Valley of Tears]
Fhad leis seo a thagadh
Cairde agus Luth gaoil
An té a bhi ag imeacht
Chun no Coigriche
b’anseo an scaradh
Seo Droichead no nDeor
Inscription translation:
“Friends and Relations of the person who was emigrating would come this far.
Here they separated
This is the Bridge of Tears”
Rememberance Stone
EXPERIENCE THE ‘PARTING’ [if only in your imagination]
Stand on the R256, by the bridge with the road down to Falcarragh behind and the memorial stone to ones right hand; this is the spot where our ancestors watched their departing friends and relations moving up this road to the top of the gap.
Bridge of Tears, Donegal
At this bridge they’d say “slán agus beannacht leat” / “slán libh go leir” and take their leave, a few steps and they’d turn and wave, our ancestors waved back, they’d take a few more steps and were gone into another world. This walk had all the finality of a funeral, as most of the emigrants never returned. With sorrow and tears, our ancestors returned to their homes, while the emigrants picked their steps downhill from the gap, heading for the port of Derry and hence to the ships which would take them to England, Scotland, Australia and America
Bridge of Tears Map
This ‘Bridge of Tears’ is in the townland of Gleenananeor [Valley of Tears] Donegal and there are similar bridges and cross-roads in every corner of Ireland. ‘Parting Places’ where our ancestors took leave of each other to improve their ‘lot’ and ease the lives of those who remained, sending the occasional dollar in a letter. In the case of family members, they would send the cost of a passage or a ticket home to bring a sibling parent, wife & children after them – this was known as ‘chain migration’
Many were barely able to read and write, some not at all. This parting view was often the very last time family members saw each other.
This location and its sad history inspired Clannad’s poignant song ‘The Bridge of Tears’
and Percy French based his Irish Mother on this phase of Irish emigration
Irish Origins 