This has been another tumultuous year globally, and I am surely not alone in having said farewell to important people within my personal sphere. One such loss was my cousin, Alfred Edward Sullivan, whom some knew as “Sully”. Al was a strong, enthusiastic and loving spirit who lived an emotionally rich and fully engaged life. His quick, irreverent wit and sharp memory accompanied a deep knowledge about a wide array of topics. At ninety years old, Al was my last family elder. Having served as the Connecticut clan’s official genealogist, Al shared information with me about our Sullivan family line which linked my Maher side of things from Tipperary, Laois and Kilkenny into County Kerry. My husband and I made a point to visit some of his favorite places on our first trip to “the Ol’ Sod”, though even into my fifth visit I was reticent to try to meet all the people Al had urged me to “look up”. Al’s parents and one set of my great grandparents are among the members of the Sullivan family depicted on page sixteen of Waterbury Irish: From the Emerald Isle to the Brass City.

A lifelong Democrat, Al Sullivan was proud to have been named after the first Catholic presidential candidate, Alfred E. Smith, upon his birth on Election Day in 1928. Trained as a medic, Al served post-World War II in the United States Army, primarily in Japan and the Philippines. A proud “Fighting Irish” alumnus of the University of Notre Dame, his degree in Commerce led to a productive career, extensive travel and a fully-enjoyed retirement. His devoted wife, children, grand and great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends around the world are better for having been graced with his presence in our lives. We will always remember that conversations in person and on the phone with “Cuzzin” Al invariably included laughter and often invoked a forgiving roll of the eye. May Al Sullivan’s spirit continually remind us to take ourselves lightly and never forget the importance of caring about those we love.

©2019 Janet Maher / Sinéad Ni Mheachair