The Cars!

Donegal meets Orange County

This was one of those amazing times when almost EVERYBODY was in town.




Every loves a pool in Orange County. From left to right that's Linda, Rose, Dominic, Aiden, and Eileen.




Dad always enjoys a good swim!


This has to be the most precious photo in the world!!

After one of many successful Piano concerts.

The kids (aka "little turds")

Colleen and Joseph stuck in the 1980s... I mean visiting Great America in San Jose.




Sisters taking Joseph out to Sea World for the first time in San Diego.




Joseph's favorite photo of all the kids (minus Shane). Circa 1983 @ Sea World. My sisters will have my neck when they see this photo.




Photoshoot after one of Joseph's recitals.





Family trip to Big Bear in the old Previa/Egg Mobile. Salomeh, Nikki, Shane, and Neela. Snow sports has somewhat become a trademark of this family.




Joseph falls in love with snow.




Amy goes PREGO on La Jolla Shores :) with baby Charlotte.




This was a Thanksgiving in 2005 in San Diego. Good ol' times.




That's Pepper, Colleen & Tom's most lovable dog. Now Shane may look like he's giving Pepper a genuine hug... but he's actually trying to squeeze the life out of him! Just kidding, Shane always had the biggest affection for animals.


On that red & green carpet used to lie a huge pool table. There used to be a lot more furniture until Shane & Nikki took over and marked their territory.




Colleen hosts Joseph in San Francisco when he was a teenager... and he falls hopelessly in love with the city. He even thought Chinatown was "cool" back then (Colleen knew that eventually, one day, hope to god, he would learn to hate tourist traps)

Dad visiting Joseph in college. It was a great trip!! That was back when Joseph only wore black clothes...

Joseph's first pint as a college graduate.... and not the last

Joseph Graduates in 2003. Dad looks shocked that he could actually do it.

A taste of music :)

Some of the BBD's favorites (and Joseph's too)


Claire De Lune, Debussy



Grieg's Concerto



Rachmaninoff Concerto N. 2 - I. Allegro scherzando



Rachmaninoff Concerto N. 2 - III. Allegro scherzando



Rachmaninoff Concerto N. 2 - III. Allegro scherzando - CONTINUED

Daniel is a unique person indeed.



Growing up on the farm, I remember him to be at times very funny and other times very serious.

He certainly was the trail blazer for those of us younger than him, especially at a time when it was quite unusual in rural Ireland to seek higher education.

Daniel decided he wanted to become a doctor.

This was indeed a very bold and courageous decision, especially for one coming from a strictly agrarian society in the late 1940'. This was indeed a very bold and courageous decision, especially for one coming from a strictly agrarian society in the late 1940'.

Not only did he accomplish this but ended up training at the Mayo Clinic, one of the most prestigious centers in the world.

All family members following him, became professionals.

On both sides of the Atlantic, we all owe him a lot.

If it were not for your father (and my brother) Daniel, I would probably be growing potatoes in Ireland.

~Aiden

Memory Lane

The Ballylinn is passed down generation to generation. Here, the youngest member carrying the bloodline, Charlotte Noelle, has only to look at her Poppa to activate this unique trait.

June 2001. Oscar was six months old and after this picture was taken in La Jolla, the BBD drove the Irish B up to Portland with DC. It took three days.

Here's Aiden and Linda, the beautiful people, looking relaxed at their home in Sedona.

Brothers and sisters. Throw this group together and you've got instant Ballylinn. Dominic, Aiden, Rose and Daniel. Thank God for Rose--without her there'd be some serious trouble!

Do we know how to have a good time or what? Here's me, Mom & Dad a few years ago on Thanksgiving. We went to see "The Incredibles" afterwards.

Here's Shane with Oscar on that same Thanksgiving. They're both older and even more gorgeous now.

Dad has always enjoyed a good bath in the sun. There's Eileen in the background, soaking it up like a cat.

Colleen and I, as little nippers. You can definitely see the Ballylin blood in this picture.

Home town Ráth Mealtain - Ramelton

By the River Lennon.

Director

See, the thing is D.C. needs to take more pictures of Amy. I mean this is the only one I have of just Amy!

I'll second that motion. Sometimes I think my kids will grow up thinking I was AWOL.

Author

Could you just die?!! I never in my life saw a cuter baby until my own kids were born.

Canadian Sunset

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