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Breda St Ledger: Blackpool, Childhood Games, Family Life,
Breda (b. 1949) grew up in Thomas Davis Avenue, in Blackpool. The houses were built new in the 1960s. They lived with a relative who told her and her brother scary stories. She went to the North Presentation Convent school.
She talks briefly about…
She talks briefly about…
Liam Ó hUigín: Henry Street, Bonfire Night, Childhood Games, Messenger Boys.
Liam was born circa 1940. His father was a docker. His mother died when he was 10 and his aunt reared him; she was a widow at 32 and had her own children.
He was a messenger boy in the 1950s; he talks about the job and its good and bad aspects. He…
He was a messenger boy in the 1950s; he talks about the job and its good and bad aspects. He…
Pat Speight: Northside, Childhood Games, Schooldays,
Cork Storyteller Pat Speight (b. 1940s) was born near the North Cathedral, known by locals as the North Chapel. His first house in Cork he thinks was a kind of tenement, with three families living in one house; his father later bought out this…
Eileen Claffey: Childhood Games, Food, Farming, Festivals, Irish Language,
Eileen grew up on a farm in Inchaclough, West Cork with one brother and four sisters. She was the third child. They had a cousin and a neighbour’s child living with them. Her parents were hardworking– her mother used to work at least 12 hours a day.…
Isabelle Sheridan: English Market, Food, Culture
Isabelle Sheridan is from a suburb outside Paris called Le Pleine de Mont Esson. She moved to Ireland in 1986 and eventually established the well-known charcuterie called ‘On the Pig’s Back’ in the English Market in Cork. She discusses her childhood…
Liz Steiner Scott: America, Customs, English market, Children's Games, Maternity, Religion,
Liz was born into an upper middle class, liberal, Jewish family in 1948 in a suburb of New Jersey, USA. She has one brother and one sister. Her maternal grandparents lived close and were part of their family life. Her father commuted daily to New…
Avreimi Rot: Customs, Food, Israel, Religion,
Avreimi grew up in Jerusalem, Israel in a strict orthodox community until he was 14 when he moved to a less religious neighbourhood. He came to Ireland when he was 21. His father became ill with multiple sclerosis when Avreimi was a child.
From…
From…
Balaska O’Donoghue: Bulgaria, Cork City, Food, Music, Slovakia, Travel, Celebrations
Balaska grew up in the central city area of Kosice , Slovakia until she was 19. Her father was Bulgarian and her mother Slovakian. She has one-half brother. She came to Cork because she met a Cork man whilst visiting London. She spent a lot of time…
Noreen Geaney: Childhood Games, Céilí, Halloween, School, The Stations.
An account of growing up on a small farm in the Cork countryside and the simplicity of life in the 1950s.
Noreen was born in Cuileann Ui Chaoimh in Co. Cork. She had three sisters and one brother. She attended Owen na Bui National School. She lived…
Noreen was born in Cuileann Ui Chaoimh in Co. Cork. She had three sisters and one brother. She attended Owen na Bui National School. She lived…
Robert Fourie: Hiberno-English, Holy Communion, Language, South Africa,
Robert talks in detail about growing up in South Africa, and makes some observations about Cork places and people.
Robert (b. 1969) is from a gold-mining town in South Africa. He talks about mining conditions there. He comments that South Africa has…
Robert (b. 1969) is from a gold-mining town in South Africa. He talks about mining conditions there. He comments that South Africa has…
Mary O’Sullivan: Travelling Community, Education, Prejudice,
Mary is a Traveller who developed a love of education, which she has tried to instil in others. She talks in detail about her experience of being a Traveller and about the lives of older generations and the history of her community.
Mary was born in…
Mary was born in…
Geoffrey D’Sousa: Immigration, India, English Market, Food
Geoffrey is from New Delhi, India, and works in Cork as a chef. He talks about how he came to the city in 2001, he compares Ireland and India, and talks about his interest in cooking.
Geoffrey came to work in Cork at the invitation of two Irish…
Geoffrey came to work in Cork at the invitation of two Irish…
Michael Creedon: Bradley's
Michael Creedon relates some of the history pertaining to Bradley's, a 4th generation shop established in 1850 on North Main Street. He discusses the changes that have taken place during that time in the area and the importance of supporting local…
Marie McAllen: Ballyphehane
Marie was born and raised in Ballyphehane, before and after development of corporation housing. Her Mother’s family name was Cronin and her grandmother was Halloran who owned Halloran’s orchard where the Ballyphehane Church now stands.
Johnny Chris Kelleher: The Evening Echo, Schooldays, Tuberculosis
Johnny Chris was born in 1929 in Fair Lane, later called Wolfe Tone Street. His mother, Mary Margaret Kelleher (1901 - 1970) was married twice; her first husband died of TB in 1924; she had to get a job selling newspapers to support her family. His…
Seán Lane: Blarney Street, Butchers, Bowling,
Seán Lane was born in 1942. His parents were both from Blarney Street, where he was raised. His father was a bacon butcher.
He talks about his childhood. Children were always on the lookout for any opportunity to make a penny, such as cow-herding…
He talks about his childhood. Children were always on the lookout for any opportunity to make a penny, such as cow-herding…
Noel Magnier: Gerald Griffin Street, Shops, Box Cars,
Noel has written a book about growing up in Cork in the 1940s and 1950s, called Is That You, Boy? He was born (1939) and reared in Gerald Griffin Street. He has 4 siblings. He recalls the shops and businesses on the street.
Denny’s cellar was a…
Denny’s cellar was a…
Denis Murphy: Blackpool, Pubs, Food,
Denis was born in Dublin Street, Blackpool. [1960s.] His family owned a pub there called the Bowler’s Rest. His parents were from West Cork. He went to school in Rathpeacon.
Millfield Cottages were built near the mill houses that existed there since…
Millfield Cottages were built near the mill houses that existed there since…
Margaret Newman: Greenmount, Cures, Working Life,
Margaret (born circa 1920) grew up in Greenmount, near The Lough. There were 4 in the family; her father had passed away and her mother, Kate, went out to work.
She got cocoa and buns at her primary school. She tells a story about finding out that…
She got cocoa and buns at her primary school. She tells a story about finding out that…
Marie Finn: Barrack Street, Blackberry-picking, Catholic Church,
Marie (b. 1938) grew up in Barrack Street. She left school at 16 and started working.
She talks about the games she played as a child and recites part of a rhyme. You could pick blackberries and sell them to a sweet-makers. Oranges and bananas as…
She talks about the games she played as a child and recites part of a rhyme. You could pick blackberries and sell them to a sweet-makers. Oranges and bananas as…