Archive (5 life histories found)

University was never mentioned as nobody had the money to go. Secondary school was even fee paying. For people with large families this wasn't an option. Out of school at 14 years and into a factory mostly. Sewing was the main occupation, or…

This is a picture of the street in Cloughmills, Co. Antrim where Mary Dynan grew up. The house on the right is the old RIC barracks where Uncle Sandy lived. The picture was taken from Mary's garden. They spent a lot of time in the garden in the…

This is a postcard that shows the semi-detached houses on the right which replaced Mary Dynan's grandparents house and pub in 1935. Mary Dynan's granny lived in one with her Uncle Patsy. Mary and her family lived in the other. When Mary's mother got…

Eithne more or less gave up work on having Patrick and became a full time mother of immense patience. Her contribution to our marriage would cover perhaps 80% of it; my only job was to earn the money. I went out to work, she ran the house and…

A year later we bought 16 Rowanbyrn in Blackrock for £9,800. We got the maximum mortgage of £7,000 (you were only allowed 70% of purchase price and also the husband's salary was only considered in calculating what repayments would be possible). At…