Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-06-04
By Betty Miles

II your creams are QuSCyt ulcet
the Buckleys, from Ireland's
County Cork. They know that
dreams come true.
Timothy Buckley lived here for
many years when he was a young
man. Later, he went back to Ire
land, married and raised a family.
But he never forgot America, and
he promised his children they
would come here one day. 1t be-
came the family dream.
Last week, two excited sisters,
Maura, %. and Vera, 81, with sew
eral of their American friends,
waited at Union Station for Kath-
leen, %. to arrive from New York,
where she had met their father,
mother and the four other chill
dren In the family. They had just
come from Ireland. and they were
here to stay. The three older girls,
who have been here several years,
had house waiting for the fam
lily, furnished for the most part by
the generosity Of friends.
1.-THE way our lives have worked
out has been just like fairy tale, !"
Vera tells in the brogue the Buck
leyS still have. Anxious to see his
children come to America, Tim
othy Buckley negotiated with a
relative in Montana until she
agreed to act as a sponsor for two
of them. Mrs. Buckley decided
that the two elder girls, Maura
and Kathleen, known in the fam
lily as Colleen, would go. They
arrived in June, 1947. Later, an
other relative sponsored Vera, who
came in 1949. when was lit
tie girl I always prayed to come to
this country" Vera remembers.
when I knew I was coming, I
asked to come before June. I ar
rived May 49,"
Maura and Colleen lived in
Silver Spring with a cousin first
who took them to a store immedi-
ately upon their arrival to outfit
them in American clothes $50
you'll look human" When Vera
arrived. the girls saw to. it that
she got her new clothes In New
York so she. would Immediately
look "like a real American" too.
After Vera came, the girls
moved into an apartment to-
gether. Then Colleen returned to
Ireland for a visit last September,
and realized how unhappy the
family was at being separated.
The sisters decided to do some
thing about it.
They found the necessary spon-
sors for their family among their
friends. On Christmas night.
they learned they could rent the
house they live In now at 204O
Hamlin street NE. The comfort
able 10-room house is big enough
to accommodate them, their par
entS and the other children, Con,
Is. Emmett. 10, BERTHE. II. and
Phyllis. Is.
I'VE didn't have q stick OF furni-
ture." Maura explained. But
thanks to the Ladies Auxiliary of
No. 6 Division. Ancient Order of
Hibernians. to which the girls be-
long, that soon was remedied.
That's the American people
for you-so wonderful" Vera de-
clared.
The ladies gave them some in
cidental pieces Of furniture first,
then decided q "housewarmine
shower" was in order to set them
up properly. One woman pre-
sented them with q washing ma
chine. Another gave them a set
OF silver plated flatware for IL.
Another gave them dishes and
glasSeS-and a cabinet to put
them In. Their priest presented
them with chairs and beds. And
they were given a vacuum clean
er. too. Friends manned a truck
the girls rented and went from
house to, house collecting the gifts.
The furniture finally was all
piled in and we didn't know what
to do with it," Maura said.
Then to crown it all, two Of
the ladies came over. cleaned the
house, put the rugs down, put up
the Grapes, and put everything ia
order" They also filled the kitch-
en- shelves with $40 worth of gro
cerieS.
Every time the women come
visiting they bring something else
Now they plan to ANTIQUE the
dining room furniture.
All three girls are secretaries
Colleen with the Boys Clubs. of
America, Maura with the National
Catholic Welfare Conference, and
Vera with the United States Steel
Co. Colleen and Maura trained
here at night school. Vera studied