Archive (10 life histories found)

While growing up neighbours played a huge part of our life.We had moved the area the normal miscellany of eccentrics or oddballs. Mr. F next door kept his wife confined life a prisoner. He never gave us a hint of a smile. We always had a huge…

Religion ruled. Practically everything was a sin. Sex was never mentioned even though there were unaccounted children in families, they were accepted by us children. One never questioned.The boys were almost aliens to us who attended all girls…

Dating was a much more innocent affair in those days. No 'Good' girl would allow even the most chaste kiss on a first date and sex, a word which was not allowed in decent company, was reserved for after marriage. All the expenses in relation to the…

Family life started on Bloody Monday 1972 (day after Bloody Sunday) at 39 Mount Merrion Avenue. We had rented an unfurnished apartment on the top floor of this very cold and draughty house. It was carpeted (cheaply) and an open fire fireplace. The…

We had no sexual relationship before marriage and on our wedding day one of her married brothers took me aside and told me not to rush sex, to leave it for a day or two until we were both ready.We were married in Donnybrook Church on 15th January…

Still involved in youth clubs I went to a weekend conference in Red Island holiday camp in Skerries. It was for the youth leaders from all the Dublin youth clubs. At that time all youth leadership was voluntary, the idea of being paid was…

I fancied a bird in Macroom (Cork) just after this, not the most convenient place as I was working in Donegal. She was eldest of a large family (7), both parents dead, the family being looked after by 'Aunt Agnes' from Cork. Aunt Agnes was from…

When I was perhaps 27/28 I met a girl who was more sexually advanced. She would let you put your hand up her frock. I had never experienced this and the consequences were quite a shock to me. I decided after several bouts of this that perhaps I…

Finding a wife was a difficult business for me. I was super-sensitive and a denial hurt greatly. So pre-occupied were we all between the Boys' Club and the flat where we lived, talked, and partied, however innocently. I couldn't be frivolous,…

Religion was a major factor and we were 100% diligent participants. I don't remember understanding much about it but back then you participated because hell was a looming certainty if you didn't. In my memory we were living more in fear of hell…