A compilation of stories by 36 Irish immigrants who returned to Ireland after decades of living in another country was launched in Ireland by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Martin earlier this month.

The book, called "Coming Home," details in their own words the tales of emigrants who were forced to leave Ireland in the fifties and sixties either as children or teenagers to start new lives in the U.S., Britain, Europe, Africa and Australia. They have now returned to spend their later years in Ireland with the help of the Irish government supported Safe-Home Program.

The program is a voluntary organization, established by former Mayo politician Dr. Jerry Cowley, which provides valuable assistance to elderly emigrants who want to return to Ireland. It has been supported by the Irish government with grants of €1.1 million.

Last week Frances Browner, who compiled the stories for the Safe-Home Program, was in New York promoting the 399-page book. This is Browner's second compilation.

While living in New York and working at the Aisling Irish Community Center in Yonkers, Browner was responsible for "While Mem'ry Brings Us Back Again," a 295-page memoir about Irish emigrants' journeys from Ireland to the U.S. and how they settled into the American way of life.

Upon returning to Ireland in December 2006, Browner was seeking a second similar project. When the executive director of the Safe-Home program, Mairin Higgins, approached her to record the tales of Irish emigrant trips back to Ireland she agreed.

"This was another beautiful project," said Browner during an interview with the Irish Voice last week.

Similar to her first book, Browner interviewed 36 Irish immigrants who had all left Ireland decades ago for one reason or another, but mainly financial, and returned to Ireland within the past few years through the program.

Browner interviewed people who have lived on all continents, including some in Australia, more in the United States, and one in Zimbabwe, but the majority lived in England.

"People came from all different backgrounds. One of the interviewees came from a war torn Zimbabwe, but once lived a very lavish lifestyle there with swimming pools and everything and had no notion of coming home until war broke out," said Browner.

"Everyone had different reasons for coming home, but the main reasons were a death of a spouse or finishing work because of a disability and not getting the support they needed."

The book, compiled over two years, outlines in one chapter the tumultuous life of Mary Ann Kelly in her own words.

The Offaly-born woman moved back to Ireland after living in New York for 49 years. Kelly, who is now living in social housing in Kerry, tells of her ups and downs while living in the Big Apple.

A turbulent start to life in New York - she married a gentleman and discovered after a few months of marriage that he was gay - finally found happiness when she joined the Franciscan Order. However, it didn't last too long. After moving into an apartment in Queens, Kelly was raped by her painter.

Finding living on her own unbearable, Kelly moved into a Salvation Army hostel in Manhattan. Throughout her life in New York, and while living in the hostel, Kelly held down a number of jobs and went to college by night.

Late 2006, Kelly came home one day to discover an eviction notice on the front door of the hostel and she was devastated. Within a few days, Kelly was on a plane back to Ireland with nowhere else to go.

Through the Safe-Home Program, Kelly found a house in Killorglin, Co. Kerry near her cousin, Anne.

Today, Kelly is busier and happier than ever. She is involved in a lot of activities and takes immense joy in being around the sea and the mountains. She has finally found solitude and is delighted with the move home.

"Another woman left Achill Island when she was 13 years of age for England and ended up living on the 12th floor of an apartment building in her latter years. She was extremely afraid to leave her house. She prayed to die. Now after moving home she has a new lease of life," said Browner.

Browner, who herself lived in New York from 1987 till 2006, said many of the emigrant stories are similar. After living a full life in another country, each of the authors in the book decided Ireland was the best place for them as they grew older, and although it was very daunting and scary to move back to a country they would not recognize, most of those interviewed said they made the right choice.

Participants in the Safe-Home Program must be at least 57 years of age and cannot own their own property in any country. For more information on the program visit www.safehomeireland.com or call 011-353-98-36036.