Irish Heroes: John Gallagher

By Kathy McGee Burns

Last year was a tough time for lots of us. We spent months of separation, bewilderment and depression. I could not even see most of my grandchildren and still have not.

Then one day, on Facebook, came a young man with a message. His message was in the forms of writings, poetry and song. His dialogue and presentation made me feel happy. His name is John Gallagher and he is my first hero of 2021.

I have known John for many years. He is the son of Willie Gallagher (Ardara) and Kathleen McClafferty (Carnamaddy), both in Donegal. Because of Covid-19, I decided to interview him by sending him emails and phone calls. His answers were so delightful I decided to let him tell his own story.

“I grew up in a row home in Bryn Mawr. Like many Irish immigrants, my parents were working class people who came here for a better life. Our house was right next to the train tracks, so I like to say, I grew up on ‘the other side of the tracks,’ Through the tunnel and across from Montgomery Ave. were the palatial estates where the other half lived. I think all of it put a chip on my shoulder to succeed and make my parents proud. I know many children of immigrants can relate to having a profound sense of duty to advance our lot.

“My parents instilled the importance of faith and hard work in my brother, Pat and I. My Mom used to sing, ‘Walk tall, walk straight and look the world straight in the eye’ and made sure we knew we were as good as anyone else. We attended Our Mother of Good Counsel grade school and Archbishop Carroll for high school. I worked construction for a year after high school to save money.

“From there I attended Bloomsburg University for the best two years of my life that I don’t remember. Months after turning twenty-one I came home, quit drinking and while working full time, finished college at West Chester. I got into the recruiting business right out of school and stared my own firm in 1999.

“Running my own business has been challenging but has also allowed the flexibility of the creative endeavor that has been this year. I believe there is a degree of artist in all of us. The question is do you recognize your art and have the ability and fortitude to nurture it. My brother, Pat has had success as a painter. In part, his journey inspired me to explore my passion for writing.

“For me, life is beautiful. Sometimes you have to look hard to find it. When I write, I am on a quest to find, see and feel the beauty. Before, within and after the dim.

“With the onset of the virus, so many parts of my life have been upended. As a self-employed recruiter, work ground to a halt. I had my nose to the grindstone for the previous seven years. I decided to not worry about work for the rest of 2020. I focused on spending more time with my aging parents, my kids and writing poetry.

“Writing and singing are long held interests of mine. As both of my parents are from Donegal, I feel like I was born with a degree of verse and melody. With many trips there over the years, I feel as if the music, the landscape and the people have become part of me. Since I live in Phoenixville, I have been taking advantage of the myriad of trails in the area for long daily walks. These walks clear the head, have been good exercise and often provide inspiration for a poem.

“For months, I have walked hills, valleys and rivers with joyful steps. To me, it is a very Irish thing to do, making the best of a bad situation. Singing was always part of my life growing up. My Mom had a beautiful voice and was always singing one Irish song or another. On both sides of my family, there are many singers. To me, singing is joyful and that is how I feel when I sing.

“Many of the songs I sing are songs I heard growing up. ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’ will always be my Mom, Kathleen’s song and nobody could sing ‘The Auld Triangle’ like my Dad, Willie Gallagher. I have recently learned the words to ‘Skibbereen,’ I’m not sure how anyone of Irish descent can listen to the words of that song and not be moved.”

John Gallagher is a man with great insight and inspirational to me. He has strong family connections and is Irish through and through.! He is married to Erin Madison Gallagher whom he met at the Irish Center and they have two children, Sean, 15, and Maura,14.

In closing I want to share with you his words about his Grandmother, Bridget McClafferty and a few stanzas of his poem about her.

“Bridget McClafferty is my grandmother on my Mom’s side. With our trips to Donegal as kids, I have very fond memories of her. Like most of her day (born in 1914) it was not an easy life. The care of eight children was hers as my grandfather was away much of the time working in Scotland. Not much formal education, but she had a Ph.D. in life, wise, devilish, heart the size of Donegal and the faith of a saint.