Sunday, October 20, 2013

EeK! Irish Triplets!

      Two posts ago I wrote about my brother and I being the same age for a couple of weeks because our births were less than a year apart. I didn't intend it to be a serious post and it wasn't. I was really surprised by how much we learned. Tina at Bringing Along OCD  calmly dropped the term Irish twins. Very few people had heard of Irish twins including me. It was a term that intrigued many readers so thanks Tina.

    So I had to find out more about Irish twins. I wanted to know how it originated. So as with all things Google it didn't take long until I found it's origin. It's as I thought. The term originated in bout the 1850's and was a derogatory term used to refer to Irish immigrants who had many children.

    What I also found is that there are Irish triplets. That means that there are three births within two years. For I minute I almost thought I was an Irish triplet , but not quite. I was born late Oct. 1939. My brother was born early Oct. 1940. My sister was born early Jan. 1942. So I was two years and two months old when she was born. My brother was 1 year and 3 months old. So my Mom had three kids and the oldest was 2 years and two months old. Not quite Irish triplets!

   My sister is the little girl in the front of the picture. I am right behind her and my brother is the little guy with his legs sprawled out in the aisle. 

35 comments:

  1. This "birthday" post is very interesting. I bet it was fun at times to be the same age as your brother. My mom always wanted twins. one born on December 31 and one born January 1. Twins a year apart. I wonder what that is called.

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    1. Well, off you go to Google and find out. I'd say your Mom was really into family planning.

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  2. The same class with 3 would have been fun.

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    1. This school went from gr. one to nine.

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  3. These are great photographs. I haven't any old images of myself. I'm a little bit jealous.

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    1. My wife doesn't have any child hood photos. It must have been an English thing!

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  4. I had never heard of the term either, how interesting. And talking of interesting, that photograph is spectacular. Old photographs are always so rich in social history, aren't they? That single photograph contain a chapters' worth.

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    1. The older I get the more I get out of this one. Time is at a stand still!

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  5. Oh Red I love this phrase Irish twins and now Irish triplets. You all look so happy to be at school:) B

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    1. Recess was awesome! I was the only one in my grade so I was always top of my class!!!

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  6. I had never heard about the name too and even triplets! Those poor mothers to be pregnant all the time! Things have changed for the better for many of us.

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    1. My mother did all this with no running water.

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  7. I've never heard of Irish triplets. You're probably correct that the term Irish twins was a derogatory term, but around here it's used a little more affectionately.

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    1. The origin may have been derogatory but it's use is positive today.

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  8. That is most interesting history and especially Irish Triplets - you almost made it to that Red. This was most interesting.

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    1. I was afraid for a minute when I read the definition and then thought again and realized I wasn't a triplet!

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  9. I would call it close enough, my goodness your Mom had three in diapers at once..what a woman:)

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    1. It was close. And Mom didn't have running water. Your child hood pictures remind me of my experiences.

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  10. what a sweet photo! bless those mothers with kids all packed together in age...

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    1. There must have been days when they thought they'd lose their mind!

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  11. Interesting! I can't imagine 3 in diapers at once. Love the old photo. What a treasure.

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    1. Mom had no running water and didn't have much help.

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  12. What a great photo! I didn't realize that the term "Irish twins" could be derogatory. I meant it as a positive term--that's how I've heard it used. Thanks for researching it.

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    1. The origin was derogatory but today it's positive and humorous. Thanks for dropping it in the comments. Many people found it a very interesting term.

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  13. I love looking at vintage pictures and this one of you and your classmates is a wonderful picture.

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    1. Thanks! Wow ! To be classified as vintage!!! Yes , those pictures were taken in 1948.

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  14. A family near us had "irish triplets" except it was a single daughter in January and twin daughters the following December. They were all in my class in school. (There were three other kids in the family, too!)

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    1. Twins are a challenge but when they're close to other siblings it must be hairy.

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  15. I love how you continue to educate, Red! I would never have known!

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  16. I suspected that the term might be derogatory, but I had never heard it before. Your mother certainly had her hands full for several years, it seems. :-)

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  17. Red I absolutely adore this photo, all of you are so sweet and I honestly can't even fathom having children as close as you three are, how amazing to be so close together.

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  18. My husbands Mom had nine children. My hubby the oldest.

    Seven boys and three sisters.

    Parents have passed on but all siblings still alive and my hubby is the oldest at 74. He lived in Holland.

    I like reading your blogs of way back and pictures. I have pictures of me and my hubby has of him .

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  19. All three of you in the same classroom! That must have been fun!

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  20. That's a great photo with all three of you. What a treasure.

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