I was blessed with a wonderful family. I was born on June 4th 1966.  My parents, Gerald and Maureen Kiely adopted me from Bessboro in Cork City when I was 4 months old. I grew up in Bundoran in Co Donegal as an only child, but my first cousin, Marie Gerene who was born in Ballyshannon on Feb 20th 1967,  was my mum’s niece, and an only child too, was more like my sister than my cousin. I was 8 months older and we were always together. We fought like cats and dogs at times but when the chips were down, we stood by each other. Gerene had a wonderful heart and we went through so much together running around the streets of Ballyshannon as kids. I miss her so much. She went home to God on January 23rd 2006.

 

I began to do some research on my background as I had a natural curiousity about my birth mum and who she was and who the rest of my birth family were. I wanted to know who I looked like. It was strange growing up and seeing other members of my family who looked like each other and knowing that I was different in that way. I knew that I was born in Cork City and that I had been baptised in Killarney, Co Kerry at 2 days old. My adopted mum, Maureen, told me that the nuns in Bessboro hadn't told her and my dad very much. All they were told was that my birth mum was around the age of 17 or so, and in the words of the nuns ''had made a little mistake'' and ended up pregnant with me. They were different times back then in Ireland, and some people including some, and not all, in the Catholic Church had different views then. My heart breaks thinking of what my poor birth mum might have gone through. I had no success in finding out anything when a couple of friends and I contacted the church in Killarney were I was baptised. It was only when my adopted mum, Maureen, died in 2013, and I was registering her death, that I just happened to find out what my birth mum's name was. Upon hearing it for the first time, her last name, was a name that I had often heard before and somehow felt a kind of strange bond to. Her first name was Annette, and out of respect to the members of my birth family that I have found, and the older members of that family who might or might not know about me, I will not reveal her name nor share her photo. In 2019, I did ancestry dna and a few others and began to find some cousins, 2 of them were nieces of my birth mum and they put me in touch with Annette's daughter, who though shocked to hear about me, which is perfectly natural, she was so kind to share some photos with me, one included my birth mum holding me as a baby, just before I was adopted. Sadly my birth mum had died back in 1992, exactly 3 weeks after I had almost died myself from an ectopic pregnancy where I also sadly lost my baby. 

 

My dad, Gerald Kiely, born April 29 1907, adopted me when he was 59 years old. Dad grew up in Omagh with his parents Thomas Kiely, who grew up in Carrigart in Co Donegal, and his mother Sarah Alice (Nee Gormley) who grew up in Drumquin Co Tyrone) Dad was the second eldest in a family of six. His elder sister Rita, (married name Stanley, Dublin) Younger sister, Eileen (McCrory), youngest sister, Kathleen(Coll), younger brother Macarten who died in 1922, aged 8 and youngest brother, Benedict (known as Ben). Dad’s brother Ben, was the well known author, Benedict Kiely. Dad was also the uncle of country singer, Brian Coll and the granduncle of author, Sharon Owens. 

My dad began to work at a young age, around 12 years old, and he often told me about having to walk and cycle in his bare feet, (they were different days). He set up his own wholesale business, and began to take loads of photographs in the 1950’s and 60’s and got them made into postcards which were sold in shops around the different counties in Ireland, including Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Cavan and Monaghan and were sent to homes all over the world.  His name is on the back of those cards as G. Kiely. Ballyshannon (copyright)

My dad was a very special man and everywhere he went, people found him to be a very respectful, gentle, trustworthy. Kind, caring and generous man. He was well liked and respected in all walks of life. Uncle Ben often wrote about him and mentioned him in his broadcasts and was so proud of his eldest brother. 

My dad was a devout Catholic who loved God more than anything. He made every effort to attend Mass on a daily basis and would kneel down at the side of his bed first thing in the morning and last thing at night to say his prayers. He attended Benediction and said the family rosary at home. He was also a non smoker and a non drinker(Pioneer abstinence) and never cursed or swore in any way. 

Dad died at home in Bundoran on Oct 25 1987. 

My mum, Maureen Kiely (nee Duffy) was born and raised in Ballyshannon, in Co Donegal. Mum was born on June 20 1923, and was 43 when she adopted me. Her parents, Pat Duffy,  came from Cashel in Co Fermanagh, and her mum, Alice Duffy (nee Burns)  came from Garrison. Mum had a younger sister, Dympna (McIntyre) and they had a baby brother, Patrick, who died in infancy. 

Mum attended the Convent of Mercy primary school in Ballyshannon and later went to Mount Lourdes Secondary School in Enniskillen. Then she went to college in Belfast and London to become a primary school teacher. She taught in Cornahilta, near Belleek, Co Fermanagh, up until they adopted me. The ruling was at the time that she gave up her job to raise her child especially after adoption. They were different days. Like my dad, my mum’s Catholic faith was very important to her. She prayed the rosary every day and also never drank, nor smoked nor cursed or swore in any way.

Mum died in Sligo hospital on July 21 2013. 

I went to primary school at the Louis convent in Bundoran. When I was in 5th class, my maternal grandfather died and my parents decided to transfer me into the Convent of Mercy primary in Ballyshannon for 6th class. I struggled with the change and began playing truant,(skipping school). I wasnt found out for months. Then my mum and the nuns thought that going to boarding school on the convent grounds would be good for me when I was starting secondary school. I spent two years there before becoming a day pupil for inter cert. I was bullied alot at school, both by some teachers and by some students. I got alot of beatings which I struggle to forget. But I had good friends too and try to focus on the happier times. 

Between school and the age of 33, (which I will talk about more later) I went to college, and traveled, living in the United States for almost 10 years (I am writing a novel at present which I hope to have completed and published by Spring 2025). 

I have published a book of Poetry, titled, ROUGEY TO THE LEE, which is available on both Kindle and Amazon.com 

And I have published a book of Short Stories, titled, SUBWAY ANGEL & OTHER STORIES, which is also available on both Kindle and Amazon.com

I have also published a book containing copies of my late dad's postcards of which I hold the copyright. Over 1000 of the cards are missing as dad often gave away the samples towards the end, however, I possess almost 400 of them.The book is titled OLD POSTCARDS BY G. KIELY available on Kindle

I just published another book containing almost 200 poems and 4 short stories. The poems are all based on my memories, my family, friends, people, places and things that I hold dear, and poems about grief and pain(both physical and emotional)The book is titled  IT ALL STARTED IN THE CITY BY THE LEE  available on KINDLE and Amazon.com

 

I was married twice in the states, and divorced. My first husband was Joe Palomera, who was Mexican and living in New York City.  and my second husband was Ray Leonard, who was Navajo and living on Navajo Nation, Arizona. 

My third husband, who was and will always be my soul mate and my true love. I first met Michael in 1999 when I was working. I admit that I did fancy him when I first saw him but soon realised that he wasn’t free to reciprocate. No, Michael wasn’t exactly married, however, he was a Catholic priest. We stayed friends for 10 years, and just met up once a year when he was up in my part of the country. But in 2009, we fell in love, even though we both knew that we shouldn’t, it was impossible to just ignore it. However, we decided to remain friends and see where it led. Michael then at the end of 2011, decided to retire, having given over 50 years of active ministry and later in 2012, we got married. It was more a companionship marriage, but we deeply loved each other and that made it even more special. Because we focused on each other and being there for each other, having fun and making each other happy. Michael was born and raised in Cork City with a Cork mum, Charlotte, and a Kerry dad, Jack. 

We moved up from Cork to Leitrim in 2015 and Michael was diagnosed with vascular dementia which was very difficult for both of us. I stood by him and never once left his side. I made sure that he was safe, warm, fed and as happy as was possible. Watching someone that you love with dementia is a heartbreaking image that you never forget. I did my best for Michael and took him out to eat, brought him to see family and friends and did everything that was possible for him. Shortly before Michael died, he had been unconscious for two days, a few hours before he passed, he opened his eyes and I was holding his hands, he looked straight at me and was smiling with tears streaming down, he tried to speak but was unable. A few hours later, on March 27 2019, my beloved Michael died in my arms. Part of me and half my heart died with him. I can’t wait to be back in his arms again in Heaven to nevermore part. 

The love and support that we received over the years from his religious order was so wonderful, the kindness and care and respect that they all showed to us both will never be forgotten. And also the love and support from members of Michael’s family too will never be forgotten. ………. Thank you to you all………………….