Can't Post Something - McGuire

Growing up as a McGuire was always interesting.  That is my maiden name, by the way.  McGuire's are known for their rowdiness according this priest at a church in Brooklyn.  I spoke with him years ago now (around 2010-2011) when I called to ask about a church registry.  Heck, he said they were always (that was his word choice..oh yes), "giving me grief".   What a joker who never did call me back.  Why would he?  He's busy.  After two churches closed and merged into that one, they have a lot of people to take care of while being the keeper of those old church registry's (that I'd love to look at).

McGuire though, seriously, it is a pretty common Irish name and comes with the reputation, I suppose.  Some people think its Scottish.  You can probably find the name in Scotland, inasmuch as you find it in America and other places where the Irish fled.  They did flee, by the way, but not just for famine.  They fled to escape religious and political persecution.  Economics and changing demographics made up a good chunk of why people left Ireland.  Someday, I'll write about my findings of why my various ancestors left Ireland.  I only found one family who truly left because of famine. 

Now those McGuire's....I am also a Maguire on my mom's side but they seem have less conflict and, for lack of a better word, drama there.  The Maguire's from County Louth seem a bit more calm.  I was told that they used to use the surname of McGuire way back in the 1600s in that area.  At some point, they went with Maguire.  Maguire could have been what they meant to use all along.  I have found that when spelling counts the most, it gets utterly screwed up.  This applies to last names and source document records for sure.  I have also been known to say that the "spelling got lost in translation via immigration."  Yes, its so true and I have several examples.  When spelling really counts, people blow it.

Back to my McGuire's.  I do keep getting off track.  By the way, the McGuire name is synonymous with County Fermanagh.  Enniskillen was known as the "Maguire/McGuire stronghold" from, oh, many of hundreds of years ago.  I'm good with this information but it is rather generic. 

Now, yes, I'm off track.  I think that is the plan.  That is the trick.  My McGuire side of the family likes to distract with anecdotes and sarcasm.  That might be from the old country but might be a direct result of living in NYC.  New York City was one of the places the Irish came to in droves.  Boston would be another but my relatives came to New York.  From what I can find, the McGuire's struggled.  They struggled from at least the 1840s until maybe around the time that my own grandfather got a job circa 1930.  He later went on to get married and left the city for Long Island.  My father lived in the original suburbia.  How many generations did it take to get there?  At least three.

So, I titled this "Can't Post Something - McGuire".  I should stamp shhhh, shhh, shh, all over it though.  Secrets swarm within this side of my family.  My uncle has told me several times that there are so many secrets.  I've asked about what they might be.  He doesn't know.  It drives me crazy.  We may never know.  Except, we may. 

Another researcher sent me information that mentions my great great grandmother and one of her brothers.  Shocking as it all may be, it mentions drinking, the law, children, and McGraths.  The truth of the matter seems to be that the secrets are actually on my McGrath side but included the McGuire's.  My great great grandmother was Sarah McGrath (her married name was McGuire).  Mrs. McGuire is mentioned in documentation that is not so great.  It sheds light on the subject of secrets in the family but also too much of too much. 

I am banned from posting the information here despite how long ago it happened.  It was in the latter 1800s, by the way.  Even now, there are too many secrets on his side of the family.  I may never know them all.  I may never get to share what was shared with me.