Memories

of

Rose O'Brien (USA)

My grandparents were Hannah and Michael Lynch and of Ballindillanig.

I visited them in 1949 on a summer holiday from Surrey, England with my aunt Annie Lynch. I had a wonderful experience and have never forgotten my heritage, both my father, William McKeon and my mother Norah Lynch came from Ireland.

I left for the U.S.A. in 1959 where I met my husband of 25 years, James T.O'Brien. We spent our honeymoon in Churchtown at my Grandparents home and spent many evenings walking the country lanes and picking the blackberries from the bushes, attended many Irish dances and met all their friends and neighbours, fetching the water for the family to wash from a nearby pump, cooking on the large open stone fireplace, listening to the wonderful voices of the friends who visited, and played the accordion or just sang a song for us. Nora Relihan lived across the street from them, and I had many a cup of tea and a homemade cake, and listened to her tales of Churchtown.

My mother learned how to bake the soda bread from Granny, and to this day I have followed the tradition and baked my own for my family. I have spent many years in the USA and have enjoyed my life here but my heart will always be back in Ireland and that special little place called CHURCHTOWN.

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