As far back as I can remember I have always loved making up stories. A storyteller I am…

I am Valerie Maria Boggess. I was born on February 14, 1952 in Dublin Ireland. My mother, Margaret Buckley Lupp was born in Co. Cork Ireland and my father, Louis Lupp Sr. in Arad Romania. My parents decided to immigrate to America in 1955. I was three years old. We left Ireland from the port of Cobh, a city in the south of Ireland. We boarded an ocean liner named the Ivernia. We sailed across the Atlantic Ocean for many days and nights. We arrived in America in New York. We continued moving west and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. My father had relatives there. It was his aunt who sponsored us on our voyage to America.

I have always been so proud of my Irish heritage. My home, my birthplace I hold so dear. In my heart I knew some day that I would visit my homeland. My mother had not seen her family in over 29 years. My Irish Lassie mum came from a family of 11 children. There were 7 boys and 4 girls. To this day all of my relatives live in Ireland, England, and Romania.

I took my mum home to Ireland in 1984 for a visit to see all of her family. I and my daughter Maria traveled with her. What a lovely time we had with all the family. It was so lovely seeing all of her brothers and sisters. The trip was marvelous. It is upon this trip and seeing Ireland that I decided to tell the story of Patee and Maree. I was blessed with two beautiful children. My son, Patrick and my daughter, Maria. When they were little I would make up a story to tell them at bedtime. They always wanted to hear about the little leprechauns in Ireland. So this is the beginning of Patee and Maree. I named Patrick Patee. Then I named Maria, Maree. After all the years of telling this story The Adventure of Patee and Maree in Search of the Hidden Pot of Gold, I decided to write the story. With pen in hand I sat down and started writing. My mind was full of ideas. I brought the characters to life. I worked on this book for some time over the years.

In the spring of 2023 I journeyed home to my homeland, my love Ireland. It had been 40 years since I had seen my family in Ireland. We had a wonderful trip with family. We traveled from Dublin to Wexford and then on to Crosshaven in Co. Cork Ireland. The trip was marvelous. So many memories made. It was upon returning home that I started to complete my lil book about the two wee little leprechauns. Again I took pen and paper and completed the book.

I brought to life all the characters in the book. They all came to life. Noel the Troll with his moon shaped red stone. Mick the Shillelagh Stick with his emerald eye. Anne the oyster and her black pearl, by the Irish Sea. Luna Rose the talking rose in a field of heather that gave the two wee leprechauns a crystallized teardrop. Last there was Maverley Moo the black and white cow with her golden bell around her neck.

So it is that a made up spoken child’s story of two wee lil leprechauns came to life as Patee and Maree.

Now a written story transformed into a book called, “The Adventure of Patee and Maree in Search of the Hidden Pot of Gold.