A remarkable lady

A remarkable lady

Commins Calling
Michael Commins

JULIA O’Donnell is quite a remarkable lady. The mother of two of Ireland’s foremost country stars, Daniel and Margo O’Donnell, has just published her life story and it makes for some fascinating reading. ‘The Mother’s Story’ takes us on a journey from her island home in Owey to where she is today.
In October, 2005, I spent a few days on Aranmore island and, after driving off the boat at Burtonport, I decided to journey the short few miles to Kincasslagh that Sunday afternoon. Julia O’Donnell welcomed me warmly to the family home and soon the kettle was on the boil and the tea on the way.
After about half an hour or so, she said she’d like to take me out to Daniel’s home just a few miles away. So she sat in the car and we drove across to ‘Donegal Shore House’, perched overlooking the bay. On the way, she reminisced about her young days growing up on Owey island which she pointed out to me across the Atlantic waters. She spoke of picking the spuds in Scotland and how life had changed so much over the years. There was a natural quality to the woman that made you feel so much at home in her company.
In many ways, Julia O’Donnell has had an extraordinary life. Her story, which is told here in association with journalist Eddie Rowley, gives a unique insight into the culture and traditions which were to mould this island woman and her family and her sheer determination to seek out the best for them. She gutted fish in England, she knitted sweaters into the late hours of the night, and undertook a whole array of ventures to support them.
There’s a homely ‘feel’ to the book that, in some ways, gives us a special understanding into the appeal the O’Donnell family have with something in the rural Irish psyche. Julia recalls: “My wedding day was the most exciting and emotional day of my young life. The year was 1947. I was 28 years old, while Francie was a year younger. I suppose if it had been today they’d be calling him my ‘toy boy’. But toy boys hadn’t been invented then.
“Just a couple of weeks earlier, Francie and myself had gone off together to buy the ring. There was no big excursion down to Dublin to go browsing in some of the fancy jewellery stores there. Instead, the two of us went up to the local chemist’s shop in Dungloe and picked out a ring. It was a very simple gold band. Although he was by my side at the time, like most men, Francie took a back seat when I was making my selection. Once I was happy, that’s all that mattered as far as he was concerned. Oh, I wouldn’t have been more excited if the ring had come from Tiffany’s.”
There’s a special poignancy to her recollection of the eve of her wedding.
“I packed the small case and prepared to leave Owey. I was going to stay with my cousin, Bridget Sharkey, over on the mainland in case a storm blew up overnight and prevented me from getting to the church on time the following morning. My excitement over the wedding was tinged with sadness. I was leaving my mother and father and flying the nest to start the next chapter of my life. Despite the hardship of life on Owey, I had loved living there. And my mother and father had meant everything to me. I would still see them, of course, but now I was about to make my own way in the world as a wife and, if God granted me the gift, as a mother.
I was upset as I bade farewell to Mammy, Daddy was over by the school mending fishing nets.
‘Go over now and say goodbye to your father,’ my mother said to me.
I went over to my father, and we talked about the progress he was making with his work.
‘You’ll be marrying in the morning,’ Daddy remarked as he fiddled with the net.
‘I will,’ I said. ‘I’m off now’.
“I just couldn’t bring myself to say the word goodbye.”
There are some deeply moving and emotional moments in this book. None more so than Julia’s memories of the weeks before Francie’s death.
“After a few months (at home), it was getting close to the time for Francie to leave again to pick up work in Scotland. He was nearly 49 years old, and the hard life he had endured was beginning to take its toll on his health. Not that he ever complained. You’d never hear Francie moan about his lot. He just got on with it.
‘Daddy, don’t go away this year’, Margaret (Margo) pleaded with him.
“I could see Francie’s eyes watering. It was emotionally draining for him to have to leave his loved ones, particularly when he was growing weary of his terrible lifestyle. I knew it was a torture for him to have to leave.
‘You don’t need to be going to Scotland. Stay here with us, we’ll be grand form now on’, Margaret begged. She loved her daddy. They all did. ‘I’ll go this year, but I won’t go anymore.’ Francie finally relented.
“There were still a few weeks to go before he left, but I could see that Francie wasn’t himself. He shuffled where he used to strut along. An he had difficulty catching his breath. One morning when I woke up, he was sitting up in the bed. I yawned and propped myself upon the pillow. ‘How are you feeling today, Francie?‘, I asked.
‘I’m fine’, he replied. Then he smiled. ‘Do you know, you’re some sleeper,’ he added. ‘I have said a rosary for myself and one for you, one for John Bosco, one for Margaret, one for James, one for Kathleen and one for Daniel. I’ve said one for everyone who is sick and one for the dead.’ Francie shuffled a pile of novenas with his hands. ‘Do you see that pile of wee leaflets? I’ve read through all of those while you were sleeping.’
I smiled at him. ‘The people who get the benefit of them will be eternally grateful to you.’
I got up out of bed, and later, as I sat writing letters, I heard him on the move, When I went to see if he wanted some breakfast, I got a terrible fright, Francie was struggling to catch his breath,
‘I’m not too good, Julia,’ he sighed, the blood draining from his face.”
The Mother’s Story runs to over 300 pages and is a pleasant and engaging read. Friends of Margo and Daniel will especially enjoy this revealing insight into the family background of one of Donegal’s most famous families.
As Julia says herself: “Today, I’m in my twilight years and happy that I’m not hidden away and forgotten. When my thoughts wander back to yesteryear, I think of the hard times and the sad times and so many happy times. It’s what we call life. And that was my life.” Some gentle wisdom from the island woman.

Racing returns to Cara
RACING returns to Cara near Bonniconlon next Sunday, June 24, in a revival that has found special favour with locals and visitors alike. Around seven decades ago, back in the 1930s, racing was a regular feature on these lands at Cara and the last event of that era was held back in 1938.
Some of the most senior members of the community around the Bonniconlon region retained fond memories of those bygone days and, inspired by those same memories, a few dedicated local people and racing enthusiasts decided to revive the event last year. It met with tremendous success and it was decided to stage another similar event this year.
The Beckett family are again making their lands available for the hosting of the Cara races and the beneficiaries of this year’s venture will be the West of Ireland Alzheimer Foundation and Cara National School. Admission is €10 and children are free.
Last year saw horses come from Kerry, Tipperary, Clare and Galway, as well as from Mayo and Sligo, with some using the event as a final preparation for the three day racing festival in Killarney in early August.
There are eight races on the card this Sunday with the first due off at 2.30pm. There is a prize fund of e6,000 and each race has been generously sponsored by local business interests.
They include Alan Piper (builder), Ballina, Joe Irwin, Kilbride, Bonniconlon, the Fleming family, Bonniconlon, Shane and Niall Tully (Plant Hire and Groundworks, Ballina), Mary and Mike Daly Insurances, Crossmolina, Martin Heffernan Associates, Ballina, Kavanagh family, Kilbride, Bonniconlon, Judge family, Kilbride, Bonniconlon, the extended Beckett family, Cara, Padraic Gillard, Gillardstown, Bonniconlon, and Quinns Chemists, Ballina.
Cara is located just two miles north of Bonniconlon, and is also accessible from the main Ballina to Sligo road at Corballa.
Children’s entertainment will also be provided and free car-parking is available. A number of bookies will be on the ‘course’ throughout the afternoon. A Best Dressed Lady competition will also be held and this is being kindly sponsored to the tune of €300 by Raspberry Clothing, Ballina.
Noel Higgins, area co-ordinator with the West of Ireland Alzheimer Foundation which is based in Ballindine, says they are very thankful to the organisers for including them in this excellent undertaking. “It is great to see the tradition being revived and also being put to good use. Great credit must go to the hard-working committee who have put a major effort behind the venture again this year. A special word of thanks also to the Beckett family for their excellent cooperation and promotion of the event. It should be a very memorable afternoon at the Cara races and we all hope they get wonderful support on the day,” said Noel Higgins.
Anyone seeking more information on the Cara Races can contact Tom Fleming on 086 1928713 or Derek Beckett on 086 3636670.

City goes country in Dublin
THE city goes country may well be the theme for the new Cafferty’s@The Ierne which is now up and running on Parnell Square, just up from O’Connell Street in Dublin. It was like the rebirth of the dancing scene in this part of Dublin last Tuesday night when the refurbished venue hosted a capacity attendance with people arriving from all over the country to share in the celebrations.
It was, above all, a very special night for James Cafferty from near Curry, Charlestown. The man behind the Showtours company felt there was an opening for regular dancing entertainment in the city centre. The Ierne, which closed down some years ago, became the focus of his attention. He decided to go for it … and last week saw the realisation of a dream with his name adorning the latest addition to the social scene in Dublin.
In some regards, it was a real trip down memory lane as the dancing fraternity returned to this part of Dublin which, during the 1970s and early 1980s, was the mecca of the dancing scene in the city. The National Ballroom at the top of Parnell Square was just about 60 yards away while the Irish Club was across the Square. Barry’s Hotel was also just up the way.
Thousands of people, mainly from the country who had moved to Dublin, congregated here week after week during the height of the Showband and country music era to dance the night away to their favourite bands. It was the great meeting place for town and country and many who recall those special times will be delighted to know that one of those venues is now back in business and providing top entertainment four nights each week.
Former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds was on hand to give his ‘blessing’ to the venue. Albert has had a long association with the music scene and himself and his brother ran a chain of ballrooms in their young days. He has never lost his fondness for the scene and those involved in the circuit.
Topping the bill on the opening night was Jimmy Buckley and his band while the popular Limelite duo from Armagh also providing some fine entertainment for the early arrivals. We met people from as far apart as Tyrone and Waterford who had come along to lend their support to the venture. A number of people also made the journey from the West.
Over the coming two weeks, there’s an attractive line-up of dancing from Thursday through to Sunday, starting with Mike Denver on Thursday, June 21, Eamon McCann and James Kilbane on Friday night, Hugo Duncan on Saturday and Keith McDonald and the Showband Show on Sunday. On Thursday night week, June 28, Robert Mizzell will play his first gig at this venue while Tony Stevens and the Rusty Roosters are there on Friday (June 29), Sean Loughrey on June 30 and Brendan Shine on Sunday, July 1.

Making the news in the western region
* NORTH Mayo based duo, The Ceide Boys, are just back from a trip to America. Patsy and Michael have also completed work on their second album which is due out in the next few weeks. They continue their busy schedule with regular shows around the region.
* THE Outlaws are fast making a reputation for themselves as one of the most innovative country bands on the circuit today. They have a fabulous sound and you can catch their new show at the Flock to the Lough music festival celebrations in Monasteraden on Friday night, July 6. The venue is just a few miles from Ballaghaderreen and Gurteen.

New CD for donegal singer
ANOTHER man who has been busy in the studios in recent times is Brian Gallagher from Castlebar. A native of Aranmore island off the Donegal coast, Brian has just put the finishing touched to a new three track CD at Tony Maher’s studios near Headford. The featured song will be ‘Charlie’s Picture’ which was recorded by American country singer Porter Wagoner many years ago.