Rosemary McCloskey

An event on 8th October 1946 changed life irrevocably for some folk. Some may say it was for the better, but no doubt there are a few, who might wish the change had not happened. This world would never be the same again.

I was born in 50 Rose vale Street in North Belfast, and baptised two days later in Sacred Heart Church in Glenview Street, which was about five minutes’ walk from my home. My parents were Jackie and Sheila McCloskey and my god parents were Rosalin McMacken and William McCloskey who had been the witnesses at the wedding of my parents on 30th October 1945 in Sacred Heart Church.

Both my father and mother hailed from Dungiven, County Derry. My mother was Sarah Cecilia McMacken , the daughter of James McMacken, who was a boot and shoe maker from Terrydremond in the district electoral area of Fruithill,  and his wife Rose Ann , Nee McVeigh. James had a shoe shop where he made and repaired footwear on the Main Street. My mother was fourth in a family of two boys and three girls.

My father, John Joseph McCloskey, was the second son of William (Roe) McCloskey  ( Magheraboy) and his wife Mary O’Kane (Paraban) from Carn. She died about three months after my father was born and he was reared by her people, in Carn, and later in Belfast, where he and his brother Willie, were taken by their uncle Paddy O’Kane who had a spirit business and his youngest sister Jane, who kept house for them. Their Aunt Margaret, in Philadelphia, sent clothes and money to assist with their upkeep, as well. She had wanted to take the boys to America with her but since their father could not be contacted at the time for permission, him being away in Scotland, they were left behind.

We lived at 50 Rosevale Street until I was twelve years old.  Five other children were born while we were there, Cecilia Patricia on 23rd March 1949, Margaret Veronica Philomena on 13th July 1952, Ann Jacinta on 30th November 1953, Jacqueline Mary on 2nd June 1955, Mary on 16th November 1957. We left that house at the end of October 1958, for my father had bought a more suitable and bigger property for us at 109 Clifton Park Avenue. On 13th September 1959 we were blessed with another baby sister, Monica Brigid and on 2nd December 1961 the last child Josephine Mary Catherine was born. She died three months later on 19th March 1962 of whooping cough. Mary died of congenital heart failure a few hours after her birth. And so we were eight daughters, six of whom my parents would be justly proud, if they were alive today.