Philadelphia, First Full Day

Aloha kakou. If you are visiting this blog for the first time and have done so after hearing about our plight and being refused to land in Ireland, you may wish to first read the post Donaghy Saga In Ireland, which details our ordeal at Dublin immigration. Then read the posts above them after.

We woke up this morning in Philadelphia with no news from Ireland. I will update this post later rather than creatinga new one in order to keep the primary post on this main page. Mahalo again to all for your efforts on our behalf and letters of support during this difficult time.

Update #1, 10:30AM EST. I spoke to our contact at UCC, who reached someone at the Gardai Superintendant’s office. We were advised to file a formal, written appeal. I don’t think we have time for this. Hoping that other inquiries bear fruit. No word from Irish consulate in NY today.

I spoke to Roy O’Hanlon at the Irish Echo newspaper in NY, who learned of our situation from Lá Nua. Roy is working on a story, but I fear that its publication may be too late to help our cause. If it does result in any changes that prevent situations like this from occuring in the future that would be wonderful.

I was reminded of one aspect regarding the urgency of our situation. Part of the motivation for our traveling to Ireland for this school year is that this Denyce’s junior year in high school. Next year (2008-2009) will be her final year in high school, and we very much want her to enjoy that senior year with the classmates she has known since she was in preschool. Her school’s graduation ceremony is steeped in Hawaiian tradition and the culmination of our combined efforts to keep the Hawaiian language alive. We would not want to have her miss that. While there is a chance that I could still go to Otago in Aotearoa (New Zealand) in the spring and complete their program and return for her to enter her senior year at Nawahiokalani’opu’u, I’m not certain I would be emotionally prepared after our experience last week. Time will tell. Returning to Ireland next fall is not an option for us.

Update #2 6:15Pm EST. No major developments to report today. UCC has made contact with the appropriate individuals to determine if I may return to straighten things our or not, and may have an answer tomorrow morning. Received two phone calls from Ireland, Conn and Liam, that were comforting and encouraging. We’re still not ready to pack up and head home, and will stay in Philadelphia at least until the weekend, and perhaps through the weekend if a glimmer of hope is still visible.