The Way I Remember It

In October 2003, I began a series of art and oral history workshops with the transition year students from Scoil Mhuire and Christian Brothers Secondary Schools in Ennistymon. These workshops laid the groundwork for a larger project which became the ECHO Community Group. For several months, 18 youths from these two schools conducted over 30 interviews with older people from the Ennistymon Community Hospital and Day Center and with various residents of the town. Through the spring, these young scholars worked hard to transcribe the interviews and select from them good material for the publication you now hold in your hands.  In addition, most of the photographs and much of the artwork enclosed are the work of these dedicated young people as well. Working with this material over many months, I have been impressed with its quality and I am now very proud to present it to you.

Elder participants:
 James Blackwell, Glann, Ennistymon.
                Emmigration, Visit to Dublin, the War, the Tans.
Mae Considine, Birchfield Liscannor.
                Banshees, turf-cutting, school, making pudding.
Michael Comber, Ennistymon.
                Falls Hotel, Local history, home dairying.
Mary Ellen Curtin,  Moy,  Lahinch
                Her musical background. The Concertina. Geraldine Sexton’s Song.
Elizabeth Davoren,
Kitty Downes,
Maura Flanagan, Rooska, Lisdoonvarna.
                School, Irish college, Rosmuc, stories, sports, shop-work, the war, funerals, festivals.
Mary Ann Garrihy
John Heher, Hehir
Eileen Jude, Cloneyogan
                School, nursing in England, Porter cake
Sally Kelly, Leatra, Boston
                Family life, sport, study, funerals, weddings.
John Longe, Ballyea Inagh.
                Turf-cutting, fairs, Haymaking.
Bridie Malone,
Mary McCarthy, Knockerska, Kilshanny.
                School, shoes, family, shopping.
May McGuane, Maghera, Inagh.
                Black and Tans, IRA, Crowe’s Bridge.
Mai McMahon,
Seamus McNamara, Ballydonoghue, Lisdoonvarna.
                Matchmaking, dowries, funerals, emigration, music, farm work, sport.
Mary Moloney,
Veronica Murray,
Mary Murrihy, Shanaway East, Mmiltown Malbay.
                Cuairt, card games, the bog, fruit cake, boxty.
Violet Nagle, Ballyvislane, Liscannor.
                Christmas, Local entertainment, Soirees, school.
Aggie O'Halloran, Booladuff, Inagh.
                Confirmation, music sessions, stories. The Shores of Americay.
Paddy O'Loughlin, Ennistymon.
                Biddy Early, funerals, food, Jack Madigans Band, music, fire brigade.
Catherine Reidy, Caherbarna, Liscannor
                Rural electricity, entertainments, gramophones, music, matchmaking, weddings.
Maisie Scullane, Clohaninchy, Quilty
                               Pastimes, music, food crops.
 Michael Walsh.
Also Peggy Byrnes, Ennistymon
Michael Comber, and
Joe McGaw.
 

ECHO Youth Participants: Maeve Curry, Mairead Galvin, Olivia Hillery, Marie Kelly, Melissa King, Moira Murrihy, Dympna O'Dwyer, Una O'Leary, Kayleigh Smith, Steven Battersby, Paraic Cullinan, Martin Davoren, Eoghan Falvey, Maurice Glynn, David Kennedy, Robert Lucas, Brian McMahon, William Murphy.
Teachers and Staff: Maeve McGuane, Gerry Sexton, Geraldine Lydon, Mary Fahy and all administration and staff at Ennistymon Scoil Mhuire, CBS, and Ennistymon Community Hospital.