Mary Ellen McGrath
Interview by Tara O'Neill on June 14, 2010
Gender: Female
Area: West Clare
Report date: December 6, 2015
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| File 1 0:00:00 - 0:03:36 | INTRODUCTION - Mary was born in Glendree, Tulla. She was an only child. There is another lady present, Gaye and she was born in Tipperary but was brought up by Mary's family. Mary remembers walking her up and down the road. She remembers John Nash going on his cuaird up to their house. She says they'd be all in gambling at that time. Her family were farmers. Their house was a thatched house and they built a two storey house then. She speaks of the parlour. |
| 0:03:37 - 0:06:44 | HOME - Mary recalls when they first got electricity. She speaks of the oil lamps. There were sacred heart pictures on the wall. Her grandmother had a beautiful picture of a ship. Her mother had a big jar for the lamp oil. She has memories of her mother going on an ass and car to Feakle and bringing back a lovely white loaf and red jam. She says the ass was a 'sluachán', (stubborn) and ran away with her once when she was in the car. |
| 0:06:45 - 0:09:39 | SCHOOL - Mary went to Glendree school. It was only across the fields from her house. She remembers when she was very small crossing the fields at lunch-time to get home and she had to be brought back. There was no running water and the toilet was outside. She recalls having a bath in a wash pan. |