Thinking and ranting out loud - my own thoughts and comments written whenever the mood takes me. Nothing is safe, Chop Chop!
Blog title from a song by Pink Floyd.
Thursday, February 06, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 23
Wednesday, February 05, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 22
Tuesday, February 04, 2025
Interview with my Dad - part 21
In today's short (1 minute) audio clip my Dad answers a long question by me about how the education of his children came first ahead of any financial problems. At various stages in the late 1970s and early 80s he and my Mum supported their four children through boarding school and college. We were not blind and could see that there were financial problems, but not for a moment does he and my Mum regret investing in our education.
Click below to listen:
Interview with my Dad - Part 20
Monday, February 03, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 19
While busy with the Carnew Musical Society committee, Dad also found time to get involved with musical societies at national level with the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS). He first took over the running of the AIMS Bulletin, and then he became national president of AIMS for two years (1980 and 1981). He talks about seeing musicals all over the country, and seeing The Merry Widow five times in the one year. when his term as president was over he took over the running of the AIMS Choral Festival in New Ross, Co Wexford.
Click below to listen:
Sunday, February 02, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 18
My Dad's great passion was singing, it was never a bother to get him to sing a song on any occasion. He was blessed with a fine voice and we have several recordings of him. He started out with the Gorey Operatic Society, and in today's clip he tells us about how he moved from GOS to the then Carnew Choral Group for a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury. He also played many lead roles such as the Pirate King, the Mikado, his most enjoyable role was as Wilfred Shadbolt in The Yeomen of the Guard.
Dad also busied himself with musical society committees, and in the clip he describes how he (and others) set up the southeast region for the Association of Irish Musical Societies.
Click below to listen:
Saturday, February 01, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 17
Following on from yesterday's post about my Dad representing farmers on the Beet Grower's Association and the Irish Farmer's Association, Dad discusses with me about how the uncertainty over grain prices led him to join the Bunclody Farmer's Co-Op, which had been set up by his friend Rory Murphy. He later joined the board of the Co-Op and became its chairman for one year.
Click below to listen:
Friday, January 31, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 16
Thursday, January 30, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 15
Today's audio clip sees my Dad telling us about his early life in Ballingate in the 60's, and his faith - especially when my Mum got sick. He found this time (mid-1960's) hard going, but his "get on with it" attitude saw him through.
Click below to listen:
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 14
As I recently discovered, when your father dies it is not an easy time. Dad's father PJ O'Loughlin died on 19th June 1965 at the young age of 60 years. In today's audio clip Dad talks about his relationship with his father, which he describes as "formal" and his sadness surrounding his passing.
Click below to listen:
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 13
In today's very short audio clip, my Dad explains how the family farm that he grew up on in Tomacork had to be sold as debts piled up. His father PJ's auctioneering business also suffered and had to be closed. This must have been a sad time for all the O'Loughlin family in the early 1960s. While Dad stayed behind on his own farm in Ballingate, his family moved to Shankill in Dublin.
Click below to listen.
Monday, January 27, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 12
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 11
The late 1950s was an eventful time in my Dad's life. At this time he was working on both his father PJ's farm in Tomacork, and his Uncle Pat Hurley's farm in Ballingate. He also got married!
In today's audio clip you can hear about when he proposed to Mum, going to Spain on their honeymoon, and living in Tomacork during the first two years of marriage.
Click below to listen:
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 10
Friday, January 24, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 9
Travelling during the 1950s was not a common thing for Irish people to do, but my Dad managed a couple of trips to see a little bit of Europe still suffering after the end of World War II. In today's clip, my Dad tells us about travelling to Lourdes on a Dublin diocesan pilgrimage with his Uncle Charles (Mons), and to Paris, and Arnhem in Holland with Macra na Feirme. During the latter visit he and the Macra lads went to see the still bombed out city of Essen in Germany.
Click below to listen:
Thursday, January 23, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 8
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 7
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 6
Monday, January 20, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 5
In this very short clip (part 5 of 24) my Dad talks about leaving secondary school in Roscrea at the end of 5th year in 1948, and his regret at not going on to complete the leaving certificate or going to university.
Click below to listen.
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 4
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 3
Friday, January 17, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 2
Here's Dad telling the story:
Thursday, January 16, 2025
Monsignor Charles Francis Hurley - 40th Anniversary
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The Mons. |
Rest in peace Uncle Charlie.
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Interview with my Dad - Part 1
Thursday, January 09, 2025
Eulogy for my Dad
At my father's funeral in Tomacork church I was kindly allowed by Fr Casey to give a short eulogy at the end of the requiem mass. I have to admit that I had written a lot of it some time ago and refined it as the end for Dad drew near. I ran it by family before the mass and modified as requested.
The mass was streamed live, but this broke down after 30 minutes - Storm Daragh was having its way on Dad's final journey. Luckily, I still got a recording. I thought for a long time (it's five weeks since Dad died) as to whether it would be appropriate to publish it here, but a lot of people could not come on the day due to the storm. I am also very proud of Dad's achievements and his life - so here goes:
Many thanks to KMcE and LDMcE for recording.