Rosemary McCloskey

During the year 2010 and 2011, I attended a few reminiscence sessions in Belfast and decided that I would like to record my own life story book. I thought it might be of interest in later years, to those in my extended family who are very young at present or may still not have arrived on this earth. It might even be of assistance to those who may have to take care of me if I am ever afflicted with dementia, and give them some idea of the girl I once was, so that if it is only my long term memory which is left to me, they will have a way to connect and communicate with me.

My maternal grandmother, Rose Ann McMacken, used to regale me with stories of her young days and of her Aunt Kate and Uncle Peter, to whom she was very close. She frequently spoke about her parents and brother, sisters and cousins. The extended family was very much to the fore in her life, then. Alas, I was too young to appreciate the wealth of family history which she tried to pass on to me, verbally. This would have been the forerunner of my story, as it was the story of some of the folk from whom I am descended. I only wish that I could have all that information to hand as I try to record my own memories.

I have tried to be as factual as my memory would allow me to be. I researched the area where I was born and grew up and this helped me identify the people and the trades of those who also resided there at that time. It was very interesting to read the old Belfast street directories and it brought back other memories of people, whom I had almost forgotten. That area has been redeveloped and changed, and so the house where I was born no longer exists. A peace wall closes off part of the area now and the layout of the streets is different from what it was all those years ago. Some call this progress!

Each time I have re-read the manuscript, other memories have arisen, and no doubt there is much more which could be added to this narrative. However, the “bones” of my story are here and perhaps I will manage to “flesh” them out as time goes on. However, I do not wish to bore my readers with too much detail.

I have included photographs which help illustrate the different eras in my life, for I believe in the adage that a picture can be more eloquent than a thousand words. They will also add a flavour of how things were then, and perhaps help younger readers to understand life in those days.

I hope that my work will be of some interest to those of my family and others who may read it. Perhaps it will inspire some folk to put their own bits and pieces of memories together as well or at least stimulate thoughts and conversations about their own lives.

I have enjoyed writing this and I sincerely hope that my readers will have the same pleasure in reading it.

Thanks to all who have helped me with this work.

Rosemary J. McCloskey

July 2011