'I am often asked 'wouldn 't you have loved a boy?' and my reply is always 'I wouldn 't swap one of them for 10 boys!!' '

'I am often asked 'wouldn 't you have loved a boy?' and my reply is always 'I wouldn 't swap one of them for 10 boys!!' '

Michael Carlin describes what he is thankful for. Firstly he describes how thankful he is for his good health. He is also blessed with his wife who was a great life partner. His daughters sent them to Cannes, NIce and Monte Carlo for their 40th Wedding Anniversary. Finally, he is thankful for his daughters, with each daughter he has a different, but equally special relationship.

Michael Carlin

Trinity College Dublin

2010

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Michael Carlin

Reflections

Life Story

Newry, Co. Down

2010s

As I look back on my life, or on that part of it that I have lived up to now, I believe that I have been blessed.I have been blessed with good health and we all know that 'your health is your wealth'. I have one or two small irritations associated with growing older, but I am taking those in my stride. When I take out my '11 - plus' school photograph and see how many of my old friends are dead, I thank God that I am able to put my foot on the floor every morning. I pray that I will be granted many more years of good health to enjoy my retirement and remain active both mentally and physically.I have been blessed with Joan, a wonderful wife and mother. In August 2010, we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary and our girls sent us off on a memorable holiday to Cannes, Nice and Monte Carlo. Joan has always been a tremendous support to me, particularly during our time in Carlin Records. We made a great team and Joan played a major role in ensuring that the business was so successful. These were the happiest years of our marriage, as we raised our family and built up our business. I couldn't have asked for a more loving companion and Dara, Aoife and Fiona were (and still are) blessed to have Joan as their mother and grandmother to Bevin and Sadhbh.Aoife lives away from home now but it would be true to say that Dara and Fiona (because of their illnesses) could not function without the unselfish support they receive from Joan.I have been blessed with three of the most beautiful and loving daughters that any man could ever want for. I am often asked 'wouldn't you have loved a boy?'and my reply is always 'I wouldn't swap one of them for 10 boys!!' My relationship with each of them is completely different, but it is similar in one respect - the great feeling of closeness that I feel towards each one of them and the that I experience in having that feeling of closeness reflected back to me.

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

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)