UNCLE JOE  
by Patricia Ennis-Burke

To Laura Hennessey and Monica Houlihan, he was really Uncle Joe, but many other children fondly called him ‘Uncle Joe“ even after they were old enough to realize he wasn't their uncle biologically or otherwise.

Joe Houlihan was the Pied Piper of Merasheen. Wherever he was, there also were the children. He was the kindest, friendliest, funniest man a child has ever had the privilege of knowing. Joe was a bachelor who lived with his brother, Mr. Pad Houlihan and his sister-in-law, Mrs. Bessie. Mr. Pad and Mrs. Bessie were also childless so I guess we children were as much a gift to Joe as he was to us. I like to think so.

Whenever we would see Joe strolling up the road, we would race to be the first to greet him. We would cling to his arms and he would lift us up in the air. Joe would show us magic things he could do like counting to three and blowing his teeth out in his hand. He told us that one day we'd be able to do that too, but, try as we might, our teeth would not pop out.

Joe believed in magic. He had us convinced that he could see the mouse run up the grandfather clock that was in the kitchen of Uncle Jack's old house and, not only that, but he could see it run down again when the clock struck one. I recall sitting on the couch and staring at that clock just to get a glimpse of that mouse.

Joe worked as a cook in the cookhouse up near Wareham's Store on Soldier’s Point. He always allowed us to visit him and we never left without a few biscuits, a hot raisin bun, or a slice of bread and jam.

Joe's pockets were always jingling with coins. He gave his nickels to us children freely. It seemed that he enjoyed the pleasure of seeing us enjoy the candy we bought with his money at Mrs. Laura Mulrooney's Shop, which later became Mrs. Sis HouIihan's. I was always very curious as to where Uncle Joe got so much money. One day when I questioned him, he told me that he had a magic noxema bottle on his bureau and every night a fairy came, tapped the bottle with her wand, and this filled it with coins for him to give away.

Well, my curiosity wasn't quite satisfied with Uncle Joe's story. As the saying goes, ‘I got curiouser and curiouser.“ One day Doreen and I paid Mrs. Bessie a visit and asked if we might see this magic noxema bottle that the fairy used to fill with money up in Joe's bedroom. Mrs. Bessie smartly replied, ‘Oh my goodness! I can't allow that, for if children gaze upon this bottle the magic spell will be broken and the fairy will not return." Well that did it! We certainly didn't want to break the spell.

I don't think the magic that Joe spun with the children of Merasheen will ever be broken. Even though he has been called to his eternal homgI often think about the happiness he brought -into my life. I have shared my Uncle Joe's stories with my children, my pupils and my colleagues who are just as much caught up in the magic of this wonderful person as I am. Perhaps my sharing them with you will sprinkle a little of his magic into your-lives too.