Grandchildren erect headstone
Who do you think you are? This is the title of a current television programme which each week follows a different well-known personality and films their experiences as they discover their roots. A few years ago Bishop Harold was on a similar quest which led to the discovery that his grandfather was buried in an unmarked grave in Chicago.
The story begins back in 1912 when Daniel McGinley, Bishop’s paternal grandfather, left Ireland to find work in Chicago. Daniel was a Donegal Catholic, who had married Bishop’s Protestant grandmother at the turn of the previous century. He decided to leave Ireland and travel to Chicago to find work with the intention of sending for his family once employment had been secured. Sadly this never happened as he was tragically killed in a train crash on the Chicago-Illinois railway just after he arrived. The family remained in the Sandy Row area of Belfast where they faced financially hardship having lost the family breadwinner. Bishop Harold grew up knowing about the tragedy surrounding the death of his grandfather but it wasn’t until several years ago, when he took time out in Chicago to do some research, that he discovered, through the city officials, where Daniel was buried.
On his return home Bishop Harold, together with Daniel’s granddaughter Carol, decided they would like to have their grandfather’s grave marked with a headstone and the process was set in motion. On a return visit to Chicago towards the end of 2005 Bishop Harold was finally able to visit the grave with his wife Lize and see the newly erected headstone in place.