'Within a few years everybody seemed to have disappeared'

'Within a few years everybody seemed to have disappeared'

Maura remembers the feeling of emptiness as everyone was emigrating to England and escaping from the poverty in Ireland.

Maura Corr

Trinity College Dublin

1955

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Maura Corr

Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Life Story

Dublin

1950s

We got an odd newspaper from England but us children were not allowed to read it. I usually got my hands on it (News of the World) and read it thoroughly. All I could see were one or two pictures of so called glamour models.Then within a few years everybody seemed to have disappeared. Work was scarce and people emigrated not alone but by the household. Most went to England for work.It was a time of sadness and happiness. Happiness because we were young and didn't realise or care what was wrong.People, young people, died from T.B. Poverty was rampant and those who had no jobs but stayed (not everyone) took to the drink. It wasn't uncommon to meet them coming from the pub and asking us young girls for a 'purty kiss'. We kept away from them and most died quite young.

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

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)