The possibility that she was adopted and did not like where she was living cannot be ruled out.
Huh. I just remembered something. I grew up on the NJ side of Greenwood
Lake . I know the NY side in the town of Greenwood Lake had all those kids come over from Ireland in the summer. Heres the link.
http://www.projectchildrenni.com/welcome_to_america.htm
Maybe the girl stayed here in the U.S. I know alot of those teenagers ended up staying one they got here. My sister even dated one .So did my neighbor.
This was 83' 84ish.
http://www.projectchildrenni.com/welcome.htm
Project Children is an American-Northern Ireland partnership dedicated to showing Protestant and Catholic kids that they have nothing to fear from each other and much to gain. The programme started in 1975 with six children from Belfast, three from one community and three from the other. The kids spent that summer in America, getting to know each other in a small New York town. Now Project Children places more than 600 children from Northern Ireland with host families across America each summer. And several years ago we expanded to include university students by offering summer internships on Capitol Hill. A few months later, a new venture with Habitat for Humanity and local trade unions pulled in vocational students and gave them on-the-job experience building homes in America. Project Children also sponsors programmes in Northern Ireland that bring together Protestant and Catholic children and their families. Although we have expanded, our vision remains the same: to help build peace in Northern Ireland through its children and young people.
PROJECT CHILDREN'S FIRST VOLUNTEER
Denis Mulcahy, the founder of Project Children, doesn't use the power of personality or the force of rhetoric to inspire others to join his cause. Denis Mulcahy leads by example. He takes no salary from Project Children and works long hours tending to the big plans and small details of running the organisation. Over the past twenty-five years he has quietly masterminded summer vacations in America for more than 14,000 children in Northern Ireland.
He has given those children-Protestants and Catholics-a much-needed break from the grim politics of their own country and an extraordinary chance to play together. He hasn't done it alone, and he will be the first to tell you. In fact, if you try to praise Denis, he will quickly start praising Project Children host families, area co-ordinators, fund-raising volunteers, and benefactors. Denis considers himself simply one of the many. But Denis is truly the heart and soul of Project Children. He started it in 1975, along with his brother Pat. They both had grown up in County Cork, Ireland, and emigrated to New York, where they joined the New York Police Department. Denis is still with the force; he's a bomb squad detective. Pat retired early because of injury and returned to County Cork.
In 1975, Northern Ireland was a boiling pot of political violence. Armed soldiers, rolling tanks, and surveillance cameras were everywhere, trying to keep the lid on. People were dying and children were growing up scared. Protestant and Catholic families were insulating themselves against each other-fleeing integrated neighbourhoods in search of segregated enclaves. Denis and Pat were heartsick. They decided to do something to help the children. That summer they brought six kids from Northern Ireland-three Protestants and three Catholics-to Greenwood Lake, New York, where they lived. The idea was twofold. Most importantly they wanted to get the kids away from the violence and the paramilitaries who work double time recruiting kids during school breaks. Denis and Pat also wanted to show the Protestant and Catholic kids that they could live together and actually like each other.
Denis Mulcahy with James Ruoff, U.S. Customs, welcoming the children of Northern Ireland at J.F.K. Airport in New York.
Each summer two Aer Lingus jets touch down in the United States packed with over 600 excited kids ready for six weeks of fun in the sun. Six weeks away from the "Troubles" back home.
All these kids that came over through the years loved it here. They had a great time and it is really a great program. Alot of the older kids said it was like heaven. Swimming ,fishing, boating. Such a different world than what they were used to.
Maybe the girl was here and decieded to find her way back to US?
Never found her way out of NYC?
