Childhood journeys worth remembering

A book celebrating the innocence and richness of rural childhoods was launched at the recent Inniskeen Road: July Evening festival.

The well attended launch in the home town of poet Patrick Kavanagh saw a number of the writers who contributed to the gorgeously produced book ‘Kings and Queens of the Road’ read from their stories.

Amongst the writers was Monaghan man Robert Burns.

“My story is called ‘Kings and Queens of the Road’, which became the title of the book. It’s a paraphrasing of the end of the very famous poem, we’re celebrating here at the Inniskeen Road: July Evening festival this evening,”

Backed byThe Museum of Childhood Ireland the conceptinvolved people recalling their journeys to school when transport wasn’t so plentiful. It’s important to note that the book was a passion project of Robert’s, separate from his role as Chief Executive of Monaghan Co Council.

Inniskeen-born Terence O’Rourke, Chair of the RTÉ Board of Directors returned to his home village to officiate the launch on Friday, July 10. He shared a few memories of going to school in Inniskeen, including glorious summer weather and breaking ice in potholes in winter: “The young fellas at both ends of the county were well practiced in breaking ice in puddles.”

Terence also paid tribute to his mother, who before the days of hot school meals, brought five of her children home at lunchtime, fed them and had them back at school within 30 minutes: “I don’t know how my mother did it.”

“1965/66 was the first time I saw an RTE camera in action, because Patrick Kavanagh came back to Inniskeen to do filming for his documentary. There’s a very fine webpage in the RTE archives on Patrick Kavanagh,” the senior RTE figure observed.

Mike Murray was born in Dublin in 1984, moving to Co Kerry with his family in 1994 as part of the Rural Resettlement Programme. Mr Murray read his piece aloud, which highlighted the contrast between city dwelling in Cherry Orchard, Dublin and country life in Glountane, Castleisland, Co Kerry through the eyes of a child: ‘The maze of corporation houses that line the streets of amber lit lampposts feel like a never-ending quest to navigate but on we must go, or we will miss the bus…Narrow gaps in the hedgerow show me glimpses of the bogland beside us, as it makes its way towards a never-ending horizon.’

Mairéad Ní Nuadháin, born in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon,has made significant contributions to Irish culture and media, her reading on the evening was in both Irish and English.

‘We never cycled to school and we almost never got a lift – everyone walked. At that time, most people who ran businesses, lived ‘over the shop’ and the town was always busy.

Front doors were usually open and there was inevitably someone ready to stand in the doorway and observe everyone going by. It was a kind of ‘neighbourhood watch’ scheme that we didn’t know we needed.’

Robert Burns’ tale recalled his childhood crush on an American girl who moved to Ireland: “The boys in fourth class, including myself, were smitten by Marie with her silky brown hair and sallow skin and her tales from an outside world, far from the small hills of south Monaghan.”

After Robert’s reading, Kavanagh enthusiast Mary Deery read extracts from her adaptation of Kavanagh’s The Green Fool.

Amongst those in attendance were Lisburn-born artist John Price. He explained he had never been to Inniskeen before last July, when his solo exhibition opened the festival.

“I swore I would never miss it after that. Myself and my daughter, had the warmest welcome from wonderful people. We enjoyed the marvellous storytelling, music and camaraderie.”

Molly Buí Hennessy was commissioned to illustrate the stories with her paintings. John Price said that he was looking forward to viewing the paintings properly, and was engaged by the poetry and readings.

“That beautiful concept of your journey to school, we don’t ever forget it. It’s a rite of passage. What a marvellous title,” he said as he committed to buying several copies. “I think it’s very, very important that we read this book.”

Alongside John was his friend Patrick Cunningham, an arts collector who worked for renowned English sculptor Sir Anthony Caro,for over half a century.

“I was studio director,” explained Patrick. “I spent most of my life in London, I’ve only been back home for the last two years.”

Asked if the book launch stirred up any memories for him, he fondly remembered his mother - Róisín Cunningham - who, he said, was definitely “before her time”.

“She wrote a book, 20 years ago after my father died, called ‘The Life and Times of Róisín Cunningham’.

But it was a social history of the area, Donaghmoyne, Lisdoonan and Broomfield. She was from Broomfield herself.”

She was a housewife and a mother of 12.

When she got a job with microchip manufacturer Echo in Dundalk, she recruited a community of her peers too and even arranged minibus transport for local women from Donaghmoyne to Dundalk and back daily. Her son commented: “She changed their lives because they were relying on the husbands’ wages and there were no other jobs around. She was amazing and hilariously funny.”

The room was alive with recollections and conversations shared by those in attendance.

Rosaleen Kearney was among thosewho throughly enjoyed the event. The former administrator of the Patrick Kavanagh Centre, was involved with Inniskeen Enterprise and Development Group for 30 years before her retirement: “I just love Kavanagh’s The Green Fool and all those stories … that’s what caught me at first … then his poetry, it’s so beautiful, spiritual and easy to access by the common man and woman.”