Mrs Curtin

I grew up in the parish of Tournafulla. I was one of seven children. My mother died when I was nine years old. I came from a farming family. When I was a child, we had a gramo-phone. We had house dances. It was all sets and polkas in our area. My own family name was Leahy. There were many family of that name around. They were distinguished by giving them a second Christian name, like Jim Dan. The name Curtin is very plentiful all around this area as well.

I remember the compulsory tillage during the war. It was all horse work. The men would have the mowing machines. The ladies would be involved in binding the sheaves. It would be very tough if there were thistles in the crop. In those times we were very self-sufficient. We killed our own pigs, and vegetables were grown everywhere. In times of bereavement wakes were always in the house. There were no funeral homes. Horses and traps were everywhere.
My late husband came from Rockchapel. He was a very quiet man. He was never a man for dancing or singing. He never drank or smoked. He loved going to cattle fairs. He loved company. He didn't like to see the marts starting up. At home we milked cows. We had eighteen cows which was a big herd in those days. We also had commonage on the mountains. It was all the Shorthorn breed. The dry cattle would be grazing in the moun-tains in the summer. In September they would be brought down to the after grass. I set-tled down very well in Mount Corbett. I like Churchtown very much.

MEMORIES OF CHURCHTOWN

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