I Michael Reilly was privileged to be born near the Prison itself, or the ruins should I say. I lived within earshot of the school also, and in my preschool days could hear the daily laughter and play. This was music to my ears then. It was a very exciting time going to school at first, making friends, playing, and having my own desk. It quickly became routine, and I suppose like many more it became quite boring. This I expect was due to us not having much sporting activities, and a weariness of learning Irish. When I left school, it felt like being set free from Prison at last.

I was in my teens and full of zest. I longed to travel, see places, and above all earn some money, and pick up some of the gold that was strewn about on the streets of the big cities abroad, I had heard so much about it. My brothers and sisters had all immigrated, this meant I had to stay behind to look after my Mother; she had a real fear of being left on her own. There were 9 bachelors in and around the area, we met up at dances, and social occasions, and funerals of course. Our method of conversation sometimes was to cup our hands and shout across the fields at each other, and our neighbours too. They were a fine body of men. I don’t think the girls really appreciated us.

I met Christine my first wife in Belcarra dance hall. She had a lovely hooped dress on, it was flared. I don’t suppose I told her how nice the dress looked, or how beautiful she looked either. Complements were very far and few between them days. The girls didn’t seem to mind though; I suppose they didn’t have a choice. When I was 25 I convinced my mother, it was time to move abroad, and she agreed to come with me, which was such a relief. Off we went to England, although America was our first choice. We turned the key in the door and left. God knows how my poor mother felt with having such upheaval in her life...We went to Birmingham.

I was still very close to Christine; she worked in Conway’s of Balla. I persuaded her to come to England, she came, and we soon got married and had 4 great children, I am so proud of them all. Sadly, Christine passed away That was a very sad time of life for me I felt the poverty of loneliness for the first time. My friends encouraged me to start going out again, I did, I met Maureen a Galway girl, I asked her to dance and she said she could, I asked her to marry me and she would. We both love Ireland so much and make our annual summer pilgrimage there and will do so as long as the good Lords permit.
Thank you to the committee for allowing me to write my thoughts, I expect they are very similar to most people’s experiences.