I have a friend called Una Hayes. She lives here now with her Listowel husband, Liam. This photo is Una’s picture of her mum, Winifred Sheahan from Bruff in Co. Limerick. Winifred, like so many young Irish emigrant girls in the 1930’s, worked “in service”. The house where she worked was actually called Downton House.
This is the same lady in April 1937 when she had moved to a new position in Kensington in London.
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John Corridan sent us these beautiful pictures of Ballinruddery, the seat of the Knights of Kerry. He says:
“Here are some photos of interest; Taken by Robert French for William Lawrence at the “Knights of Kerry”, Ballinruddery c1890-1910 (will contact NLI to establish a more accurate date). When photos are combined with Bertha Beatty’s description of Ballinruddery of a similar time it enriches the photos all the more.
Regarding the Lawrence Collection photos note what Bertha Beatty (Nee Creagh) wrote in her book Kerry Memories penned 1936-1938 about Ballinruddery.
“The latter place had a lovely avenue leading from the main road and extending for a couple of miles through lovely overhanging trees and shrubs. We had permission to go there and I loved the place. There is a ruin on a height about mid-way in the estate. It is possibly where the old chiefs lived at one time………I remember being frightened of a herd of Kerry cows which grazed just around the famous ruin. I have vision of blue-bells growing down to the edge of the river. The other side was wooded. Beautiful Rhodendrons and ferns of many kinds flourished in the cool shade , also foxgloves, known to us as Fairy Thimbles. We enjoyed popping the buds on the back of the hand. Little streams played about and made a happy, gentle music.”
Thank you, John.
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NKRO on tour
The gang on NKRO’s first outing to the National Library on Monday April 30 2012.
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An American view of Irish children….nice.