Archive (18 life histories found)

A picture of Sr. Rosemary McCloskey with her parents taken outside Sacred Heart Church, Glenview St., Belfast on the day of her First Profession

My childhood memories are all centred on 17, Skegoneill Drive, Belfast, where I lived with my parents and sisters, Violet and Phyllis. I have no recollection of Gainsborough Drive, where I was born, but the good fortune I have enjoyed all my life…

I suppose Cloughmills was a special place in that in the Northern Irish context, for most of the time, there were harmonious relations between the people. Our parish of Dunloy and Cloughmills had three centres of population. At one end was Dunloy,…

I was born into a catholic family in an extremely catholic country at a time where priests were unquestioned and bishops were treated a princes of the church, with all the rights and privileges which that station entitled them to. I was raised in the…

Harry Browne's brother Brian on his confirmation day

Religion was a major factor and we were 100% diligent participants. I don't remember understanding much about it but back then you participated because hell was a looming certainty if you didn't. In my memory we were living more in fear of hell…

School in Strabane was the Convent (5-6 years old) and Barrack Street Boys' Primary (7-14 years old). In Northern Ireland you had to pass the '11 plus' in order to access 2nd level (St Columb's in Derry). The standard of education in Barrack St…

A newspaper article which reports upon Mary Dynan's profession - the ceremony in which she professed her vows.