Archive (19 life histories found)
'It was a nasty situation to be in after that allegation had been made, and so after a few months, I decided to leave Belfast once more and this time head for England.'
My next job was a teaching post in BunScoil Bheann Mhadagain in Wyndham Street. This was another tough assignment and I left it after having been accused of hitting a child in my second year there. I had had enough of this Irish medium and to be…
'It became too much at one stage, and I had to negotiate terms and conditions as I could not keep going at such a pace.'
I started work at the end of August. It entailed training women to work in Irish medium play groups and help them to attain the NVQ levels two and three. I did not realise how much hard work would be entailed in this job. I had groups in Belfast in…
'We spent a wonderful few days with the Sisters who took us out and around the poorer areas of Johannesburg, where they were well known for their work amongst the poor.'
I was not very happy in Botswana although the wages were much better than anywhere else I had worked, especially with the conversion rate of three Zim dollars to a Pula. There were a lot more of this world's goods available in Botswana as well, and I…
Tags: Mercy Order, poverty, township, travel
'I do not remember a lot about the journey to Gabarone except that I had to fly to Johannesburg and transfer on to an Air Botswana plane from there.'
The Botswana Government was paying my fares to Gabarone at the beginning of January and so I was home for Christmas. I do not remember a lot about the journey to Gabarone except that I had to fly to Johannesburg and transfer on to an Air Botswana…
'We left next day for Victoria Falls and were amazed at such magnificent waterfalls and scenery. It has to be seen and experienced!'
Aidan O'Kane came out to Zimbabwe to visit me. I collected him at Harare airport and we went to McCann's for our tea that evening and next day proceeded to the mission. Aidan was very impressed at how I knew my way round Harare. That was not…
Tags: landscape, Missions, scenery, travel, Victoria Falls
Going on honeymoon
'I am often asked 'wouldn 't you have loved a boy?' and my reply is always 'I wouldn 't swap one of them for 10 boys!!' '
As I look back on my life, or on that part of it that I have lived up to now, I believe that I have been blessed. I have been blessed with good health and we all know that 'your health is your wealth'. I have one or two small irritations associated…
Tags: Carlin Records, family, Family Business, Health, marriage, travel
'Put a microphone under my nose or a TV Camera in my face and I became a new man. '
I have always had a thirst for knowledge so one of the first things that I did when I reduced my work load was - I joined the U3A. Now, that was a good decision. I love the two classes I joined, the 'Life Story writing Group' and 'Radio for…
Tags: friendship, Journalism, Music, Newry Chamber of Trade, Newry Telegraph, reading, Reporting, Television, Trade, travel, U3A, Writing
'We drove across Australia the year the Eyre Highway was first completed'
We had holidayed all over the world - on the way back and forward to Australia we visited Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka and we had one stop over of a few hours each in Bombay and Muscat - that was enough. We…
'I have gathered a lot of the moss of experience and friendship as I travelled the world'
I have changed residence at least 20 times in my life. That has obviously had some effect on me. I like to think that unlike the proverbial rolling stone, I have gathered a lot of the moss of experience and friendship as I travelled the world. My…
Tags: Change, life course, transition, travel