Introduction

JamesPayne · Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:14 pm Post subject: Introduction

Well I guess I will start the introductions. My name, as you can see in my log in, is James Payne IV. I was born and raised in Rochester by my parents Colleen (O’Keefe) and James Payne III. My birth date is October 29th 1982. I have one sibling, my brother Ryan. I live in Greece and went to Athena middle and high school. After high school I went to Monroe Community College and received an associates degree in Liberal Arts. After MCC, I went onto Stony Brook University and received my B.S. in Marine Biology.

I have always been in sports since I was a kid. I have done soccer, football, cross-country, track, water polo, and swimming. During high school years, I was a three-sport athlete (x-country, swimming and track) but my best sport was swimming where I missed out on state championships my sophomore year (after only competing for 1 year) but I made states my junior and senior year. I went to MCC on a swimming scholarship and received several All American Awards and broke numerous records including a record that was set before I was born (1981). I then moved on to Stony Brook on a large division one swimming scholarship where again I broke several records and won several conference championship relay races. After my swimming career was finished I coached for the Stony Brook swim team, which was a huge learning experience and an honor. I can’t say that I got paid too well though, with the number of hours I put in (sometimes 70-80hrs per week) and the set salary I received I got about 10 cents per hour. I really loved coaching and if I can find the time I want to do it again. Between my work and teaching lifeguarding, with my brother, from May through October I get tend to get busy.

I currently work at the University of Rochester in the Center for Aging and Developmental Biology. As a technician level III, I am helping my boss study biomarkers in the blood and other peripheral systems. We want to see if there are any early warning signs that can be seen outside the brain for patients who might end up suffering from late onset Alzheimer’s disease. In the next couple of months my girlfriend, who I met at Stony Brook, will be moving up to Rochester to live with me in an apartment. We are quite serious and I want to make sure that I know her whole personality before I make that “BIG step.”

As far as my love of my Irish heritage that comes mostly from my mother and her brother. My mom’s maiden name is O’Keefe and her mother’s maiden name was Hogan. My mom’s side is very close and VERY VERY proud of being Irish. I have always been taught it is important to know where you come from and that is one of the reasons why I joined the IACCWNY. I actually have a tattoo on my right shoulder of a leprechaun (a little drunk) raising a glass of beer with an Irish flag waving in the background. I will be getting a third tattoo this June of my two family crest combined in someway on my back between my shoulder blades.

What I hope to get out of the group is a better understanding of where I come from because I believe if you know where you come from so you have a better idea of where you are going. I really love being Irish and I hope to assist young and older people alike to enjoying their Irish heritage too.

rem · Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 8:21 pm Post subject:

I'll try and get the ball rolling again here James.

My full name is Robert Emmet Murphy (rem) but I was usually known in Ireland only as 'Aesop's boy' (the gaelic equivalent of Joseph, my fathers middle name). I was born here in Rochester following my father, Patricks', emigration from County Mayo. Oh, my mother, Mary, was also present at my birth and she hails from Irondequoit. The Murphy's in Mayo were carpenters to the Moore family and joined them when they moved from Sligo to Moorehall which is just south of Castlebar, the county town of Mayo. From the age of 12, I spent much time in Ireland...in the west of course. Mayo & Galway were my main haunts and occasionally a jaunt across to Dublin to see the Scahill side of our family. Following my schooling, I ended my five and a half years military service while in Suffolk, England and had been planning on a promise of a job in Ireland. When that fell through, I set up home with my wife, Maggie, in her hometown of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.

There I spent time working in a warehouse and delivering tobacco & guinness. One of my fondest memories is throwing 300 empty guinness casks up onto a lorry. Following that I ran the Spread Eagle pub in the town prior to joining the Suffolk Constabulary as a police constable. By this time we were blessed with my two children, Patrick & Megan. After ten years as a police officer in Suffolk, we packed up and moved to Rochester to be closer to my parents. Sadly, that same year, I lost my brother Sean at an early age. My brother and my sisters, Peggy, Katy & Maureen had always been close and we got through some tough times.

I came back to Rochester having been appointed as a deputy with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. It's been eight and a half years now and I was recently promoted to sergeant with the county. Being a dual citizen made it possible for me to work in law enforcement in both countries. I have just over eleven years to make my second pension and I hope it is enough to allow me golf when I retire.

I was always very much into sports but usually used my bull head rather than any athletic talent. I was dead keen on gaelic football, but hurling was my first love. Following stints with local clubs in England, I was delighted to see a new Rochester club (Rochester Erin's Isle) form in 2004. Sadly after the 2005 season, my advanced age and three knee surgeries ended my hopes of playing one year longer than my father. We both retired from active play at the age of 48. My father had been one of those stout founders of the Rochester Harps gaelic club in 1950.

I would love to write a book about my experiences "both sides of the pond" but who knows when that will come. I have some great stories to relate...like the time I went to bed for Princess Di. I might allow a sneak preview of that one out but I really must get started on that book.

Okay, I'll pass the torch to someone else in the hopes that you support James' efforts and this forum.

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