Rosabelle Gifford
Rosabelle Gifford left England in 1958 as an impoverished single mother to bring five children to the Philadelphia area. She now presides over an extended family of 13 grandchildren, all college graduates, and 21 great-grandchildren.
“We were all poor during my childhood,” recalls Gifford, born Rosabelle Blaney in Doorin, Donegal. “There were no cars. We thought it a great adventure to get a ride home on the bar of some boy’s bicycle.”
One of those boys, Edward Harvey of Castleogary, married the young Rose Blaney and they had five children, raised in London following World War II. Living conditions in England following the war were terrible—not just because of widespread food rationing and shortages, but because Rosabelle’s marriage was disintegrating.
But adversity to Rosabelle simply meant another challenge to overcome. At a time when society frowned of divorce and single parenthood, she headed for the United States with her children, where she ultimately married again, this time to Charles Gifford, a World War II veteran.
Life has given Rosabelle some heartbreaking challenges that would test even the strongest person’s courage. Her beloved husband, Charlie Gifford, passed away more than 20 years ago, shortly after the death of her son-in-law Joseph McCullough. Her oldest son, Ted Harvey, died four years later, followed within five years by his wife Mae. Rosabelle cherishes spending time with her four surviving children: Rosemary McCullough, Kathleen Harshberger, Frank Harvey and James Harvey.
Five decades after arriving in Philadelphia, she is an inspiration to the Irish community, a longtime member of the Donegal Society of Philadelphia, staunch supporter of Irish affairs, and an avid advocate of educational opportunity for all and of programs to combat domestic violence. She is a friend to the downtrodden who combines remarkable energy with a powerful will.
In 2009, she was honored with the first-ever Mary O’Connor Spirit Award by the Philadelphia Rse of Tralee Centre, which is now presented annually to one Irish-American woman who is considered to be a role model for the younger generation of women in the community. The truth is, Rosabelle has surely inspired mostly everyone who has ever been lucky enough to meet her.
