Irish relative finds Burkes

John Heffernan from Clonmel in Tipperary County, Ireland stayed at Bill and Carole Burke’s in Waucoma recently for a family reunion after finding their long lost relatives in the 1970’s. John was a school principal (here he would be known as a superintendent), and after retiring he gave himself this gift to come back again to visit his relatives in Iowa. For his fourth trip to America, he left his wife who is still teaching and children at home. Over the Easter weekend the Burke clan hosted a big family reunion at their home. The first time John was here was after finding his relatives in 1978, then he came back again in 1982, in 1998, and now in 2014.

Since the guys came to our little Czech community in Spillville to pick up kolaches, we did the interview at my home. I have to admit as much as I loved listening to John’s brogue, sometimes I had a hard time understanding all his words and he would have to repeat his sentences slowly, even spell out the word slowly or Bill who was used to his accent, interpreted. Though, hearing how John found the Waucoma Burkes first hand in John’s beautiful Irish brogue is something I wish you could hear rather than read.

Read the full article in the April 22 edition of the Courier.