Mary ‘Mamie’ Murphy
Interview by Tomás Mac Conmara on May 25, 2010
Gender: Female
Birth date: 1910 - 2012
Report date: October 12, 2010
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| File 1 0:00:00 - 0:02:07 | FAMILY BACKGROUND - Mamie speaks about her family background. Her father was John Murphy, a farmer from Ballyea. Her mother was Mary McInerney, also from Ballyea. She speaks about her home house. Speaks about her grandparents Tom and Nan McInerney. |
| 0:02:08 - 0:08:29 | SCHOOLDAYS - Mamie speaks about going to school in Ballyea. Refers to Mrs. McMahon. Speaks briefly about Irish being introduced to the school when she was in the final years of national school. She loved Irish. Speaks about the jobs she had to do when she was going to school. Recalls that she didn't wear shoes in the summer after 1st May. |
| 0:08:30 - 0:11:27 | BLACK AND TANS - Mamie recalls the Black and Tans coming into her house. They were also seen at Keating's Cross. She says that there was a man with them that he knew. He had previously worked with them on the farm. Peggy states that this man had joined up with the Black and Tans. She didn't recall any of the Volunteers from the area. |
| 0:11:28 - 0:17:20 | SCHOOL AND MUSICIANS - States that Mrs. McMahon was the principal of the girls' school and her husband was the principal of the boy's school. Speaks briefly about pastimes. States that Vincy Lillis and Paddy Fenton were great local musicians who would play at Markhams. States that Mickey Lillis a local teacher used to sing at Markhams. |
| 0:17:21 - 0:18:55 | THE FAIR - Speaks about the fairs. Ballynacally fair was on the June 14 and Clarecastle was on November 11. Here brother Tom would bring cattle to the fair. |
| 0:18:56 - 0:24:48 | FARM LIFE - Speaks about life on the farm, the bog, making hay, the garden and livestock. Speaks about killing the pig on their farm. Stephan Clancy used to kill the pig in Ballynacally. |
| 0:24:49 - 0:25:56 | FISHING - Speaks briefly about his brother Tom fishing locally in Tiermaclane. |
| 0:25:57 - 0:31:20 | CHRISTMAS AND CALENDAR CUSTOMS - Speaks about Christmas and other calendar customs. They would put Easter water on the land on Easter Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. There were some people who claimed to hear the banshee on the Darragh road coming to and from Markhams. |
| 0:31:21 - 0:35:36 | CUSTOMS - Speaks about moving to Ballynacally and states that she didn't notice much of a change. She stayed for one month after marrying. On one occasion she was going to town within the month and her mother had to come out to the gate as she wasn't allowed by custom to go into her home. Speaks about the wake of her mother in law and wakes in general. A Mrs. Garry laid out the deceased in that area (Ballynacally). Recalls the clay pipes and that the young men would smoke turf in them. |
| 0:35:37 - 0:36:51 | RATIONING - Recalls the rationing and that her mother would always get whatever she wanted in McFarlands in Parnell Street. Mentions Pauline McFarland. |
| 0:36:52 - 0:37:59 | FIRST MOTOR CAR IN AREA - Recalls Dick Killoury being the first man in the area with a motor car. |
| 0:38:00 - 0:44:55 | CHANGE - Speaks about the change she had seen in her life. Speaks about her father's death. Mentions her sister Kitty who died at the age of nine from pneumonia |
| 0:11:28 - 0:11:27 | PISREÓGS - Speaks about 'pisreógs' and recalls an incident in their own home. Her brother Tom went to the Franciscan Friary and they gave him salt to shake on the land. Speaks briefly about the arrival of the electricity. |