Early years in Blackrock, Dundalk

Hi, my name is Ruth and I was brought upas a catholic in Blackrock, a fishing village and seaside resort near Dundalk in County Louth, Ireland. My father was a fisherman by trade, deep-sea fishing for salmon during the summer months and designing and building fishing boats most winters. He was also a Pilot with Dundalk Harbour. I suppose by today’s standards we would be considered to be a large family, there were eleven children alltogether and so surprisingly, along with the big job of rearing us, mum found time to run for local election, and be on the board of fisheries.

From what I remember, by the time I came along, there was little need for a lot of discipline as we were fairly good children and a sharp word from dad usually kept us in check. As with a lot of people at the time, there was little to go around, but because most people were in the same boat it didn’t seem to matter much. Being as I was at the time, quiet and a bit shy, I found my teenage years to be turbulent and painful. I think the reason for some of this was hormones, but also, there were problems at home because mum had a disease called Multiple Sclerosis that left her very disabled and unable to walk. My father didn't cope with it very well and spent a few years having affairs which eventually ended in him leaving the family home. So at seventeen I couldn't wait to move away and I left home and went to live with one of my sisters in our capital city, Dublin.