Archive (1372 life histories found)

Mary was her name. I didn't know her surname. She lived in Cupar Street at the Falls Road end. She was a security guard in a big shop in Belfast City Centre where Ann and I stopped for a wee garn when in town. Always with a lovely smile on her…

I liked running and was still very fit. We went out running on Mondays and ran 4 miles. On Wednesday 4 miles and on Saturdays 10 miles always getting a rub down and a shower. The craic was good and we didn't race but we enjoyed the scenery and…

We mostly played football in a field on the Highfield estate till it was dark and my chum Jim McFarlane would go to the oval to watch the cock and hens as Glentoran are still known. At the age of sixteen I worked in James Mackies leaving to work a…

My mother and father had nine children together and 7 boys. William and Brian died when infants. Then Tommy was born. After that there was myself, David, Roy, Trevor. Trevor was given the name because he was born in May Cottage in…

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…

My proudest achievement is not mine at all, except in a very peripheral manner. I am immensely proud of how my children have grown up into fine, well rounded people who care for each other and are a continuing source of pride and satisfaction to me…

When I was about ten years old I saw a toy for sale in the local shop, run by the Hughes sisters. It was a plastic tank with an ingenious water powered gun which fired a plastic shell. I lusted after that tank. It cost two shillings, a not…

In 2004 Sarah Jane and Liam presented us with our first grandchild Adam. This was a major and life changing event. Since then we have Luke and Emma, Sarah and Liam's children and Max born to Maeve and Marc Barry in 2011. Our little tribe is growing…

Some thirty five years ago we rented a cruiser on the Shannon to try out this cruising lark. I have been an enthusiast ever since. We have cruised almost every year since, sometimes three times in one year. In all those years we have not been tempted…

I signed up for a Masters in Quality Management in 1998 at the age of 56 and completed it in 1999 but whilst in the process of writing my dissertation in 2000 I had a heart attack so I never finished the Masters completely. I had all my life been…