'Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, we are able to follow her progress on skype, but you can 't kiss or hug the computer screen _ﾋ_ well, you could, but the men in the white coats would come and take you away!! '

'Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, we are able to follow her progress on skype, but you can 't kiss or hug the computer screen _ﾋ_ well, you could, but the men in the white coats would come and take you away!! '

Michael Carlin describes his grandchildren and his relationship with them. In particular he describes his grandaughter Bevin whom he gets to see frequently as she lives nearby. He also mentions his granddaughter Sadhbh who lives in New York. He reflects on how difficult it is to be so far away despite using modern technologies such as Skype.

Michael Carlin

Trinity College Dublin

2010

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Michael Carlin

Marriage and Family

Life Story

Newry, Co. Down

2010s

Bevin Carlin Kelly - as she calls herself. Bevin fills our lives with joy and manages to brighten each day that we are lucky enough to see her. Like her mother (Fiona) she has an independent streak with an enquiring and challenging mind. She has an amazing vocabulary and a photographic memory. She only needs to hear something once and then it is stored away to be used when required and always in the right context. As the song say, she is 'strictly a female'. Female completely caught up with her girlie toys. Damien, her Daddy is colour blind but as far as Bevin is concerned, there is only one colour. Pink!!While we are blessed in that we see Bevin 3 - 4 times a week, baby Sadhbh is 3,000 miles away in New York. At the time of writing, she is 8 months and we have only seen her once in the flesh. However, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, we are able to follow her progress on skype, but you can't kiss or hug the computer screen - well, you could, but the men in the white coats would come and take you away!!I know that lots of other grandparents are in a similar position, but that doesn't make it any easier. Her other grandparents in Cork have lots of other grandchildren, so it is not as difficult for them. Hopefully, Aoife and Ollie will decide to come home to Cork within the next few years and then they will only be a train journey away.

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

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)