Important social history recorded for posterity

People encouraged to reach out and record stories with family and friends this Christmas

Two local people have set about recording the social history of their area, and as part of this heart-warming campaign, are encouraging others to similarly reach out and record stories with family and friends this Christmas.

Declan Fitzpatrick, and former local school teacher Brigid Sheridan, both from Drumlane, near Belturbet, launched ‘A Time to Talk’ earlier this month. The two-disc DVD focuses on conversations with persons of note about what life for them was like growing up in rural Ireland.

Declan completed the first recording with Paddy O’Reilly from Kilconny in January 2020. Then Covid hit, and Declan says: “We had lots of time to talk, but we weren’t able to see one another.”

Paddy, Declan explains, was chosen specifically for his keenness on farming. He has a long held reputation within IFA circles also, having been one of a handful who took to the road to walk to Dublin for the 1966 farmers’ rights rally.

Patrick grew up on a small farm at Lagan, close to where the George Mitchell Bridge now stands. He remembers the difficulties caused for locals by bridges being blown up, and the impact this had on in nearby Belturbet.

“Paddy was significant too in that he has seen it all through farming, from using horses through to buying his first tractor. His farm ran down to the border, and sure there was always then an opportunity for, let’s say, ‘trading’, for want of a better word.”

Covid restrictions, and the general run of life, meant Declan didn’t get to resume his interest in the project again until late September 2021. Eager to make up for lost time, he conducted two more interviews in almost as many weeks - with Edwin Woodhouse, and Phyllis Gaffney, a native of Ardonan.

Declan’s interest in interviewing Edwin was two-fold- the first being the Brankill man’s incredible collection of antiques.

“Edwin worked in Barhams Mill, leaving school at 14, and later worked at Erne Supplies where his son Derek now works. When rural electrification began, Edwin was one of those who went round to people’s houses for the wiring. This was a big thing, and even people were a bit wary of it I suppose. Edwin tells a story, that because it cost £1.50 for each light, that people would try get the fitting as close to the door in the kitchen so they’d get the advantage of having it both for the bedrooms as well.”

Brigid remembers when she and Declan first sat down around two years ago and first drew up a list of almost a dozen people they said they’d have liked to interview. Sadly, in the interim, many of those names have since passed away, including Hugh ‘Hughie’ Sheridan, of Creeny, Milltown, who was interviewed for the DVD by Brigid herself.

“This was very much about capturing a moment in time, and secure these memories for posterity for future generations to then look back on hopefully. There is nothing worse than losing a piece of history.”

Hugh, regards Brigid, an important part of the community, a representative working with the local water scheme among others things.

“I was also always interested in the history of Irish Shoe Supplies, once a major industry for the town of Belturbet, and Hugh worked there as well for nearly 33 years. There were nearly 300 people employed there at one stage,” reflects Brigid. Declan says of the respective stories shared on ‘A Time to Talk’, filmed and later edited by Gerry Lee’s P&A Video: “That’s history. It’s a simple history, but it’s important nonetheless.”

He adds: “These are people who have lived through a period of our time, an era that has transitioned greatly, and we feel it’s important these stories, this knowledge, isn’t lost.”

Declan laments how stories, if not passed on, are often lost in the ether. Already he has a handful of new interviews lined up. “It’s something that should be done in every parish, every area. With all the modern technology, over the Christmas time, maybe people should sit down with their loved ones and record a story or two. It would be a great thing to look back on in a few years time.”