Morgan Rae was born to Patrick and Mary O"Kendall in February of 1970. She had two older brothers: Dean, 6; and Neil, 4 at the time. The O"Kendalls were a rather well-to-do family and quite well known to everyone in the bustling, sea-side city of Ann Rinn (Ring). This lovely, wild area on the western shores of Dungarvan Bay is the heart of the Gaeltacht, an area where the Irish language is spoken on a daily basis. The family owned a large tavern and a grain mill, bringing in the largest revenue in the town outside of shipping.
In the year of 1977, Morgan O"Kendall first met the man who would later become her husband.: Connor McLoughlin. He was Dean's best friend and neither of the teenage boys liked having pesky 7 year old Morgan around. Often, Dean and Connor would tease her and purposely make her cry.
When Morgan was twelve, her father suffered a heart attack and died, leaving behind his wife and children. Both Morgan and her mother had to pitch in at the tavern while the boys took over the mill.
It wasn't very long until all the boys were old enough to join a shipping crew; and in 1983, Dean, Connor, and Neil went away to sea. Mary had no choice but to shut down the mill, but between what the boys were earning on the ship and what Mary was able to get in from the tavern, the O"Kendall girls were able to get by.
November, 1986, there was a knock on the O"Kendall door. Connor had finally returned from sea with terrible news: there had been a storm and only 6 crewmen had survived. Dean and Neil were dead. 21 year old Connor held 16 year old Morgan as she cried later that evening and something occurred to him in that moment. This wasn't the same little girl he waved goodbye to three years ago at the docks. Morgan O"Kendall had grown up.
He made sure that Mary and Morgan were taken care of and spent as much time with Morgan as her mother would allow. Connor courted Morgan until she was 18 when he finally asked her to be his wife. In front of all their friends, 23 year old Connor McLoughlin called for everyone's attention and got down on one knee in front of the unsuspecting Morgan. Three months later, in April 1988, they were wed on the beach in a quiet, intimate ceremony.
Almost exactly a year later, shortly after moving to the city of Wicklow on the other side of Ireland, Riley Aisling was born to the happy couple. They both wanted a large family and once Riley was out of infancy, they started trying again. Month after month they waited, but Morgan never got pregnant. Six years went by and Morgan had resigned herself to the fact that they wouldn't be having anymore children. Surprise, surprise! In 1995, Morgan found out that she had gotten pregnant and in January, 1996, Liam was born. After that, the babies came fairly quickly. Twins, Caleb and Seamus, were born in 1999 and little Brenna in 2002. It was at that time the McLoughlin's found out that their son, Seamus, had autism. Molly Fine, the nanny from England, came into the picture at this point. She agreed to help Morgan with all of the children. She's been with them ever since. Morgan is pregnant with their sixth and last child, a girl, and is due sometime in December.
At 36 and 41, Morgan and Connor are getting up there in age, but not in spirit. They are all about their family and find joy in being with their children. That's not to say they don't get frustrated, and as per the typical Irish stereotype, both Connor and Morgan have tempers and have been known to shake the house in yelling matches; with each other and directed at the kids. But in the end, it's love that keeps them together. Love and forgiveness. How else could they have stayed married for 18 long years?
In the year of 1977, Morgan O"Kendall first met the man who would later become her husband.: Connor McLoughlin. He was Dean's best friend and neither of the teenage boys liked having pesky 7 year old Morgan around. Often, Dean and Connor would tease her and purposely make her cry.
When Morgan was twelve, her father suffered a heart attack and died, leaving behind his wife and children. Both Morgan and her mother had to pitch in at the tavern while the boys took over the mill.
It wasn't very long until all the boys were old enough to join a shipping crew; and in 1983, Dean, Connor, and Neil went away to sea. Mary had no choice but to shut down the mill, but between what the boys were earning on the ship and what Mary was able to get in from the tavern, the O"Kendall girls were able to get by.
November, 1986, there was a knock on the O"Kendall door. Connor had finally returned from sea with terrible news: there had been a storm and only 6 crewmen had survived. Dean and Neil were dead. 21 year old Connor held 16 year old Morgan as she cried later that evening and something occurred to him in that moment. This wasn't the same little girl he waved goodbye to three years ago at the docks. Morgan O"Kendall had grown up.
He made sure that Mary and Morgan were taken care of and spent as much time with Morgan as her mother would allow. Connor courted Morgan until she was 18 when he finally asked her to be his wife. In front of all their friends, 23 year old Connor McLoughlin called for everyone's attention and got down on one knee in front of the unsuspecting Morgan. Three months later, in April 1988, they were wed on the beach in a quiet, intimate ceremony.
Almost exactly a year later, shortly after moving to the city of Wicklow on the other side of Ireland, Riley Aisling was born to the happy couple. They both wanted a large family and once Riley was out of infancy, they started trying again. Month after month they waited, but Morgan never got pregnant. Six years went by and Morgan had resigned herself to the fact that they wouldn't be having anymore children. Surprise, surprise! In 1995, Morgan found out that she had gotten pregnant and in January, 1996, Liam was born. After that, the babies came fairly quickly. Twins, Caleb and Seamus, were born in 1999 and little Brenna in 2002. It was at that time the McLoughlin's found out that their son, Seamus, had autism. Molly Fine, the nanny from England, came into the picture at this point. She agreed to help Morgan with all of the children. She's been with them ever since. Morgan is pregnant with their sixth and last child, a girl, and is due sometime in December.
At 36 and 41, Morgan and Connor are getting up there in age, but not in spirit. They are all about their family and find joy in being with their children. That's not to say they don't get frustrated, and as per the typical Irish stereotype, both Connor and Morgan have tempers and have been known to shake the house in yelling matches; with each other and directed at the kids. But in the end, it's love that keeps them together. Love and forgiveness. How else could they have stayed married for 18 long years?