'One day I saw an advertisement for a tutor for a group called Altram, which had just been set up.'

'One day I saw an advertisement for a tutor for a group called Altram, which had just been set up.'

Rosemary describes settling into life in Belfast after many years working in the Mercy Missions in Africa.

Rosemary McCloskey

Trinity College Dublin

1997

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Rosemary McCloskey

Work and Employment

Life Story

Belfast

1990's

Now I needed to find employment. Cecilia had been applying for jobs for me before I got home and I had a couple of interviews but was unsuccessful.One day I saw an advertisement for a tutor for a group called Altram, which had just been set up, in the Irish News. It was in Gaelic and since I still had the language I decided to telephone a friend of mine, Liam Andrews, and enquire if he knew anything about it. He said that his sister Aine was involved with this group and that I should speak to her. I had also applied to Bunscoil and Droichid for the principal's job. Aine was pleased to hear from me and thought I was well qualified for this post and advised me to apply for it. I told her I had applied for Scoil and Droichid but she said that since I had never worked in an Irish medium primary school and that since I also had been out of Northern Ireland for a number of years it would be too much of a strain on me to contemplate taking such a job. She sent me the application form and told me to get it in by the next day. It was tight to get all done by the deadline and Philip McMurray, my brother-in-law took the completed application to the post office in Tomb Street just before closing time for me.I was called for interview, offered the job and accepted it.Next thing I needed was transport! I asked Jesus again for this and then heard that a good friend of our family was going to trade in his two year old Ford Fiesta. This car had been well looked after and was almost as good as the day he bought it and so I offered Danny Nolan (RIP) ﾌﾣ5000 for it. He accepted and I became the proud owner of the nicest wee car you ever drove.

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

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)