'When he was 15 years of age his mum went to his bedroom to wake him for school and to her horror found him with his music earphone still on and he was dead. '

'When he was 15 years of age his mum went to his bedroom to wake him for school and to her horror found him with his music earphone still on and he was dead. '

Hugh Duncan rememebers his neighbour's children, Nathan and Shelley. Hugh and his wife enjoyed spending time with the children as they were growing up. He remembers in particular a trip they took to Dublin on the Train. Hugh describes how Nathan has little interest in school until Hugh told him the importance of reading and writing for getting a job.

Hugh Duncan

Trinity College Dublin

2011

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Hugh Duncan

Marriage and Family

Life Story

Belfast

2010s

Nathan and Shelly were brother and sister. He was just 2 years of age and Shelley was 4 when we moved to Taughmonagh. They were our next door neighbours. It wasn't long till both of them made themselves at home in our house where Ann, my Wife, made them some of their favourite food and spoiled them. They became part of the family and it was good to play with them and enjoy their company. As they grew older we took them on bus runs to different places. On one occasion we went to Dublin by train. On the return journey I asked the ticket collector if he would show Nathan the driver driving the train, but because of security risks of highjacking the train the driver was locked in. But he said that there was another engine at the rear of the train and he took us to it and showed Nathan the works. Then said to Nathan to pull the whistle cord, he was flabbergasted when the whistle sounded. We had great fun with Nathan and Shelley as they grew up.When Nathan began school at Malone Integrated school he did not like reading and writing not showing an interest in both of them. I asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up. He said he wanted to be a motor mechanic. I told him that if he didn't learn to read and write he would not be able to do any job, because if he couldn't do that he would not be able to follow instructions in doing his job. From then on he took a real interest and improved immensely in school.He loved football and kicked a bally really hard when he was a wee boy. He was a very likeable boy, always smiling and I never ever heard him swearing and had many friends and he loved listening to music. When he was 15 years of age his mum went to his bedroom to wake him for school and to her horror found him with his music earphone still on and he was dead. His death was caused by sudden death syndrome. He was so well loved that about 700 attended his funeral. My wee Nathan is surely in Heaven.

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

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)