My father, Matt Gaynor, was born in Clondaliever in 1886. He started life as a landless herdsman, watching over herds of cattle on Murray's (pronounced Mur_�_ray's) farm in Clondaliever. In the early 1900s he joined some of his peers in driving…
Our source of drinking water was a hand pump over a well in the middle of the field behind the house, which we called the pump field. The pump was about 400 yards from the house. The task of providing the house with a good supply of drinking water…
On a day when we were going to Balreagh bog my father got up early. My mother helped him pack the requirements for lunch into a basket. He was usually on the road with the horse and cart by 8 am. Myself and Paddy would follow by foot sometime later.…
Clondaliever, the townsland where I was born in 1941, is in north Westmeath. It is the place where the three parishes of Collinstown, Taughmon and Delvin meet. As most facilities in rural Ireland were to be found at the centre of a parish, the…
I went to a very small Primary School at Baripada, Dist. Mayerbhang, Orissa, India. There was no school uniform then. It was a big long classroom with desks and a big blackboard, chalks and duster. We had only one teacher for one class who was…
Lots of memories flash backs to me regarding the various Hindu festivals. There is almost some celebrations in each month although there are quite a few main ones such as Diwali, Durga Poja, Ratha - Yatra etc. Just like Christmas here, the Hindus…
I lived in a joint extended family which is very common in India. We all lived in a very big house with uncles, aunties and cousins. My father was the eldest and bread winner and took over the financial responsibilities. We had three or four…
My most memorable favourite place was my maternal grand - parent's house. My family were visiting their place every year in summer holidays when we used to get the longest time off. My grandfather was very well off and had a very big house and a…
Although we were three sisters and two brothers in my family, I was my father's pet and getting my own way in quite a lot of things and my brothers and sisters used to call it a favouratism. My father was a judge and it was a transferable job in…
