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From Moville-to-Moville
16.09.10
A visit to remember for
Iowa couple
THERE was fun at a local post office when Larry and
Jo Etler sent a postcard from Moville to their
hometown...Moville.
The couple weren't sending the postman on a fool's
errand however as it soon emerged that Larry and Jo
were on holidays in the Foyleside town from their
home in Moville, Iowa, America.
They were delighted to be in the original of the
species - their own town having been named, in the
19th Century, by John B McDermott after his beloved
birthplace, Moville, Inishowen.
John and Martha McDermott arrived in the United
States in 1848. They first settled in Brooklyn, New
York, then St Lawrence County, New York and finally
Iowa in 1860 where they became highly instrumental
in the business life of the region.
Larry and Jo were given a tour of Moville by local
historian Martin Lynch who showed them places of
interest such as Cooley Cross, the local fishing
harbour and fittingly, the emigration memorial
monument, The Fid. |
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Larry and Jo Etler from Moville, Iowa
beside the fid on Moville pier, Inishowen. |
Their trip to the
original Moville came about largely through local
woman, Mary Lorraine McHugh, who writes a column
called 'Post-to-Post' for the Moville Record
newspaper in Iowa.
Larry said he was surprised by the many similarities
between the two towns as well as the differences.
"The population would be approximately the same and
I see, driving down the main street, some
similarities. You have perhaps a few more businesses
here than we have, however, we are a suburb of Sioux
City, Iowa, which has a population of about 100,000.
"I have an insurance business in downtown Moville
and it's been there since 1888. I was hired in 1969
by a grandson of John McDermott who founded our
Moville, Iowa, so I have a great feeling for
Moville, Ireland."
Larry said the natural landscape of the two Movilles
could hardly be more different.
"We are surrounded by corn and soy beans whereas you
are surrounded by water." |
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Larry and Jo are presented with some
Moville pottery. From left, Mary Lorraine McHugh, Brian
McLaughlin, Jo and Larry Etler and Martin Lynch. |
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Larry and Jo, who were
on a two-week trip to Ireland, said they would also
bring back "many good memories" of their visit. |
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