Author Archives: oldervoiceskildare

– By Colette Moore – John Reilly of the Hill (as he was always referred to) was a first cousin of Daddy’s. Everyone in the town of Portarlington would say “you could set your watch by John Reilly”. John lost his beautiful young son Paddy at a very tender age. While Paddy was very ill,Continue reading “The Measure of a Man”

It was a summer evening, I was about 5 years old and standing on a chair at the sink in the back kitchen beside my mother at the sink, she was preparing a salad for our tea and was showing me how to peel the shell of the boiled egg and we were laughing asContinue reading “The Telegram”

We didn’t call it the Second World War, we called it “The Emergency” and it was during this time that “RATIONING” was introduced in Ireland. Every family in Southern Ireland received a half yearly book of coupons which had different lettering for the individual items each household bought. In Northern Ireland the rationing was notContinue reading “The Emergency”

By Loretta Kenny Campile is a village in South Wexford. In the early twentieth century a train station was opened as part of the construction of the Rosslare to Waterford railway. The Shelburne Co-operative Agricultural Society opened in 1919, followed by the opening of the Campile Creamery in 1927. The village at this stage wasContinue reading “A Shattered Peace: The Bombing of Campile”

A shopping trip to Dublin with my mother was always a very exciting day in my childhood especially at Christmas. Arnotts, Boyers, Clearys were her favourite shops especially their Summer and January Sales days. I, as a small child loved a trip into Woolworths and then down to Hector Greys. I remember pleading with herContinue reading “Hector Grey”

By Michéal De Paor Words of Wisdom (Part One)I was born two doors away in the County Hospital in Portlaoise and lived on what was called the corner of the Block. This prestigious location meant that the Jail was on the far side of the road, while St Fintan’s Mental Hospital and the Morgue wereContinue reading “Words of Wisdom”

A letter in the Irish Times by General Gordon described the prevailing condition of the Irish peasantry in terms uncannily reminiscent of other witnessed over two centuries. He found them “patient beyond belief….loyal, but at the same time broken spirited and desperate, living on the verge of starvation in places where we would not keepContinue reading “Ballinrobe 1880”

You remember when there were no mobile phones, and our phones were black heavy objects with a front circular dial, which were situated on a small table in the hallway. Then in the 90s our children, nieces and nephews started arriving in with this new device called a “Mobile Phone”. Overnight our means of communicationContinue reading “My Transistor Radio”

I was so excited, I would be able to visit my son, daughter-in-law and 3 littlegrandchildren all under 8. They live in Claremorris, and I had last seen them onthe 2nd March, had chatted on Face time, but it’s not the same. Up early, made a batch of queen cakes with butter icing, as allContinue reading “29th June 2020-Phase 3 of “Lockdown””

By Michéal De Paor My excited thoughts as I woke centered on going to my first Football International match, Ireland V Spain in the European Nations Cup. Although, I had been to the Leinster Football Final in 1963 and almost cried all the way home as Dublin beat Laois, today was different as I wouldContinue reading “Ireland V Spain 8th April 1964”