Memories of friends that were not so lucky

Memories of friends that were not so lucky

One of the saddest aspects of old age is thinking of friends I have lost who were really honest, truthful and kind and whose lives included tragedy or were relatively short.  I already mentioned the two Doohan cousins I lost when I was a child. I also told you of a great pal John Sweeney who cycled to Dublin with me and died young.  As I grew up I was also friendly with another cousin called Eddie Roarty.  His Mother, Cassie, was sister to my Dad and lived in Falcaragh. Like Aunt Maggie she too was kind to me and my brothers and sisters.  During my final months at school I called daily on my way home to get an hour's grind from Eddie which helped me get a scholarship to St Eunans at Letterkenny.  The school master Martin Kelly was from Galway and he had a son called Kieran who played football with me for Falcaragh and St Eunans. Kieran became County Engineer for Meath and we remained friends until his death ten years ago.

My Dad was friendly with the few local Prodestant families.  He thought they were all honest.  He employed a local lad called Tommy Allcorn to work on our farm and he lived in our house.  Another Predestant family were the Smullens.  I was friendly with their two boys John and James.  Mr Smullen dealt in horses and sometimes left a few to graze on our fields.  I used to enjoy having a ride on those that I fancied.  When war broke out John told me that he was joining the British forces.  I wanted to go with him but my parents insisted on me remaining at the veterinary school until I qualified.  While I was happy in safe and peaceful Dublin I was shattered when to hear that poor John was killed in Italy.  My cousin Eddie who also joined up was captured in France.  He spent years as a prisoner of war.  On release he was in poor health and died young.