Five Children, Five Cases, Five Pounds

About the Book

This is a unique story of an Irish girl's life. Born in southern Ireland in the early 1920's, educated by nuns, married at 18, and mother of six children it conjures up a portrait of a very different time and place from our modern day world. It is dramatic, hypnotic and cerainly eventful.

About the Author

Born in Southern Ireland in March 1925. The eldest of 14 children, had Convent education and remained in 'A' stream throughout. My best subjects were English, Irish, Religious Knowledge and Drama.

Married in 1943 aged 18 and went on to have 6 children. It was an unhappy marriage, my husband left to work in England and failed to support us.

Leaving Ireland with my children in 1956, in the hope of getting our lives together, which took 3 hard years, and eventually got a council house in the East Midlands in 1959, enabling me to take in Boarders, to make a living.

Legally separated from my husband in 1966 — getting custody of the children, I had a nervous breakdown aged 35 years and was detained in hospital for 9 weeks. With lots of determination, I made a slow recovery and got back to handling my life. I then began work in a Geriatric and Psychiatric Hospitals. Had major surgery aged 48, after which I worked as a home help for Social Service, awhile still continuing to struggle with depression.

Losing my first baby aged 18 months to Meningitis, and my daughter in later years aged 53 to Ovarian Cancer, each equally devastating!

Suffered a heart attack aged 64, and was hospitalised for 3 weeks. Three years later I returned to Ireland, where I lived for 13 years, when ill health struck again, deciding to return to England to be close to my family.

Since writing my story, there was yet another move for me, to beautiful sheltered accommodation built in 1506 in the town centre close to where I had my first home on leaving Ireland in 1956.

This will be my last move, after having 29 homes during my lifetime!!