Even on Days when it Rains (17 page)

My island home...

...is derelict now, which saddens me.

My parents James and Margaret McGonagle, pictured in 1959.

Here I am, aged 17, (back row extreme right) with the tattie howkin' girls in Scotland.

While sifting through a box of old photographs for my book, I found this rare portrait taken in my early 20s. Little did I know then where life was going to take me.

I was the happiest woman in the world when Francie O'Donnell came into my life. He was a fine, handsome man, and here we are pictured together in 1948, the year we were married.

A treasured Christmas greeting from Francie.

A treasured Christmas greeting from Francie.

With my baby daughter, Margaret, at my parents' house on Owey.

Happy times with Francie and our children John Bosco and Margaret.

My youngest son, Daniel, aged 1.

Bathing my baby daughter Margaret. There were no mod cons in those days!

John Bosco grew up to be a strong and healthy child, despite being born prematurely.

A smartly dressed John Bosco on the day of his First Communion, with Kathleen and Margaret.