'A long stone bridge divided the town of Belcoo from the town of Black Lion'

'A long stone bridge divided the town of Belcoo from the town of Black Lion'

Avril Patterson remembers being a teenager during the war times and how she cycled across the border to buy sweets during rationing.

Avril Patterson

Trinity College Dublin

1944

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Avril Patterson

Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Life Story

Black Lion,Co. Cavan

1940's

As a teenager during the war we cycled to Belcoo and Black Lion for butter and sugar. Black Lion was in the Republic of Ireland. As children we nick-named Black Lion as 'The Black'. Butter and sugar were rationed during the war. When aunts came to visit from Belfast,we always went across the border to Black Lion for sweets.A long stone bridge divided the town of Belcoo from the town of Black Lion. I remember this customs were a friendly lot always ready for a chat. I'm sure they knew we had sweets hidden down our jumpers.

Irish Research Council for Arts,Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)