Bridget Conway is not one to rest on her laurels, and when you’ve lived as much life as she has, you have plenty of stories to tell.
Catching up with old friends is always a great experience, but there are some friends who make it even more enjoyable. One such friend is Bridget Campbell Conway.
I first met this Celtic dynamo back in 2023, right here at one of her favorite haunts, PJ Mcyntire’s in Westpark.
At one point, we were celebrating her appointment as Irish Mother of the Year, a title given to her by The United Irish Societies of Greater Cleveland. She fulfilled her role remarkably well.
But Bridget Conway is not one to rest on her laurels, and when you’ve lived as much life as she has, you have plenty of stories to tell.
So, she decided it was time to tell hers.
She teamed up with Dan (D.P.) Conway, a writer and a lifelong family friend (although not related), to work together on the book titled “At The Crossroads: The Memoir of Bridgie Ned Campbell Conway of Doona Ballycroy.”
“Well, this happened by accident because you know, my dad’s from the same village, so I just wanted to write something to capture the village, you know, life before it was gone,” Dan said. “So we said, Hey Bridget, I’m thinking of writing a book…would you mind helping us? She said, oh my God, I would love to help you.”
Bridge’s journey spans continents from her childhood in rural Ireland to her arrival in Cleveland. At just 17 years old, she recalls coming to America with only $6 to her name, sponsored by an aunt who promised her a job and a future.
There was not any work much work in Ireland. My aunt Maggie was the youngest and…she said she’d like for me to come here, and I’d stay with her and she’d get me a job here. And we arrived on St Patrick’s day.”
Bridget’s storytelling isn’t just about the past. It’s been part of her present too, facing health challenges in recent years. She says writing the book helped her stay focused on what matters.
And now the community is celebrating Bridget and at the Crossroads with the book signing. You can meet the legend herself this Saturday from two to four here at PJ McIntyre’s.
In fact, Patrick of PJ McIntyre’s family home was next to Bridgie’s back in County Mayo.
“We were together all the time in Ireland. Then we come to America somewhere together ever since then.”
With a lifetime of stories and an entire community behind her, Bridgie’s journey is far from over, but for now, she’s enjoying sharing the road she’s traveled with a book that’s as lively as she is.
You can purchase “At The Crossroads: The Memoir of Bridgie Ned Campbell Conway of Doona Ballycroy” HERE.
