The day before we sail into New York orders are changed again.We
are going to a place up the Hudson River called Albany.
The Americans say,Albany? Goddam Albany? Why the hell did we
have to sail on a goddam Irish tub? Goddam.
The priest tells me pay no attention.All Americans are not like that.
Im on deck the dawn we sail into New York. Im sure Im in a film,
that it will end and lights will come up in the Lyric Cinema.The priest
wants to point out things but he doesnt have to. I can pick out the
Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler
Building, the Brooklyn Bridge. There are thousands of cars speeding
along the roads and the sun turns everything to gold. Rich Americans
in top hats white ties and tails must be going home to bed with the gor-
geous women with white teeth. The rest are going to work in warm
comfortable offices and no one has a care in the world.
The Americans are arguing with the captain and a man who
climbed aboard from a tugboat.Why cant we get off here? Why do we
have to sail all the goddam way to goddam Albany?
The man says, Because youre passengers on the vessel and the cap-
tain is the captain and we have no procedures for taking you ashore.
Oh, yeah.Well, this is a free country and were American citizens.
Is that a fact? Well, youre on an Irish ship with an Irish captain and
youll do what he goddam tells you or swim ashore.
He climbs down the ladder, tugboat chugs away, and we sail up the
Hudson past Manhattan, under the George Washington Bridge, past
hundreds of Liberty ships that did their bit in the war, moored now and
ready to rot.
The captain announces the tide will force us to drop anchor over-
night opposite a place called, the priest spells it for me, Poughkeepsie.
The priest says thats an Indian name and the Americans say goddam
Poughkeepsie.
After dark a small boat put-puts to the ship and an Irish voice calls
up, Hello, there. Bejasus, I saw the Irish flag, so I did. Couldnt believe
me two eyes. Hello, there.
He invites the First Officer to go ashore for a drink and bring a
friend and,You, too, Father. Bring a friend.
The priest invites me and we climb down a ladder to the small boat
with the First Officer and the Wireless Officer.The man in the boat says
his name is Tim Boyle from Mayo God help us and we docked there at
the right time because theres a bit of a party and were all invited. He
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