Year: 2011

This interview took place in 2001:

An extremely popular choice for person of the moment,
John answers our questions;

Name:	John Mhikie Gallagher
Age:	58
Tell us a little about your family:	Father: Mikie Mother: Mary Healy Four brothers: Michael, Eamon, Tommy, Patrick. Four sisters: Bridie, Ita, Annie, Kathy. * I was reared next-door to my father and mother by Aunt Maria who was married to Michael Madden – Gréasaí Antaine. * I am married to Mary Travers from Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal * We have three children – Mairéad, Sal, and Caitlíona
Tell us a little about your employment history and professional life:	* I was a Secondary School teacher and taught Irish, Geography, Art, Mechanical Drawing and French. * The schools I taught in were Dooniver, Coláiste Éine, Scoil Chuimsitheach Chíaráin í gCeathrú Rua, Scoil Dhamhnait, and Sacred Heart School Westport. * Worked in England at various jobs in the sixties: Meat factory, building sites, M1, M2, Dpt fourteen of Wimpeys, sold ice-cream in London as well. * Fished off rocks in Currane from Stoiricín to Dough Beg. Fished in Currach with different family members and neighbours. Had half-decked boat for 16 years – fished off Currane, Achill, and Clare Island.
What do you like about Currane?	Everything – ‘muid féin atá ann’
What is your favourite view in the area?	From the top of Cnoc na hAilte Móire near Lough Árd.
What is your favourite time of year?	Springtime, but I enjoy Summer growth and Autumn colours and Winter games of cards – solo and 25.
Favourite story/folklore:	Adventures of Ernest Shackelton and The Famous Lynchechaun.
Favourite saying (seanfhocal):	‘Níl ins an saol ach ceo Agus ní mhaireann an só ach seal is ní buan sioc soilseach na maidne Ach ar feadh tamall bíonn sé geal’ i.e. ‘Life is but a mist and good times don’t last long, and the sparkling morning frost is fleeting, but for a while it’s brightness is so strong’
Is there a place that you enjoyed travelling to?	Russia 1979: Moscow and Leningrad, the Museums, Hermitage, churches, Moscow circus etc. were all magnificent. Contrary to understanding at the time, the people I found very warm and welcoming.
Favourite book (Fiction):	The Day of the Jackal
Favourite book (Non-Fiction):	Anam Cara
Do you have a favourite type of music?	Traditional Irish Music and most music
Favourite song:	Shanagolden sung by Thomas Joyce.
Favourite Gaelic song:	Amhrán Mhaoinse sung by John Beag Ó’Flatharta
Favourite film:	One flew over the cuckoo’s nest
Favourite drink:	Smithwicks and at times a little ‘Gaelic coffee’ made from mountain dew.
Favourite food:	Bacon with cabbage, freshly caught mackerel and herring. I’m also partial to Chinese food.
Favourite night out:	In Currane in company of Conor Patten, Thomas Joyce, Pat O’Malley, Thomas O’Malley, Michael Joe Gallagher, John and Tommy Madden and Father Willie and if John Hoban came by.
Favourite sports:	Gaelic Football, Hurling and Soccer.
Favourite teams:	* Mayo God help us!, Galway Hurling team, Chelsea, Sligo Rovers
Which person/s would you most like to meet? (living or dead)?	Caiptín Máille Pattico, Caitlíona Mhór and David Attenborough
Any plans for the year ahead and the future?	Take a day at a time. Admire the odd fishing vessel, go to sea from day to day, enjoy and partake in music sessions. Have an odd refreshing drink and chat with lively company, play a few card games. – pause and pray and remember from time to time my wonderful friends and neighbours in Currane and elsewhere whose company and warmth I’ve enjoyed through all the years. Faoí Chumhdach Dé iad ar fad.

Many thanks to John for taking the time to talk to us.
We’re sure everybody will join us in wishing John a great year ahead.

This interview took place in 2000:

One of the elders of our community, Ann Masterson (or Ann Mór as she is known), will be 91 on
St. Stephens Day.
The only survivor of 11 children, Ann remains active socially, has an impressive memory, and when it comes to
local news and events she is still very much on the ball.
We caught up with Ann after a day out in Mulranny and persuaded her to answer our questionnaire;

Name:	Ann Masterson (known as Ann Mór)
Favourite TV programs:	Wheel of fortune, the Six O’Clock News and Coronation Street
Favourite Coronation Street characters:	Vera and Jack, Curly
What is your favourite drink?	I take a small Baileys occasionally, but not often. I like juice, and tea of course, but I’m not keen on coffee at all.
What is your favourite food?	I like lamb chops, and of course the spuds. I don’t like bananas, pork, black pudding, sausages or rashers. I like tomatoes, but it’s so hard to get good ones. There used to be a nursery in Bunacurry that had lovely tomatoes.
What is your favourite book?	I used to read a lot of books, but I don’t any more. I like to read the Mayo News
Where were you born?	In Scotland – I’m a Scottie really! – but I came to Ireland when I was a baby. I went back to Scotland when I’d grown up and stayed for many years, mainly in Edinburgh. I worked in hotels, a hospital, and on the railway. I used to clean the carriages when the trains came in, and we made the beds on the sleeper trains – it was great craic! Oh but the football fans, when they came in, what a mess they made!
What social event have you enjoyed recently?	My 90th birthday last year. I went to the compass to play whist, as usual. There were an awful lot of cars there, but I had no idea what was going on – someone said there must be a big prize. As soon as I went in the door they all started singing happy birthday! I was so shocked, and Michael Ruddy was laughing his head off! What a lovely evening – people had come from all over, even some relatives from Preston.
Do you socialise a lot?	I go to Mulranny on a Tuesday and we have lunch, then we are taken to Daly’s for some shopping. I play whist every Wednesday night at the Compass. We used to go to Glór na dTonn on a Wednesday for day care and we had lunch, but the FAS scheme has ended so there’s no-one to do it any more.
Is there anywhere you would like to visit again?	Not really, though I wouldn’t mind going back to Edinburgh.
Are there any changes you would like to see in Currane?	More employment
Favourite football team?	Man Utd and Celtic, especially when I was in Scotland – they had a great team then.

 

 

This interview took place in 2000:

Ann has just won the C section of the Hibernian Tennis Club Championships at Castlebar Tennis Club.
She is about to try to break her own record of winning 3 Presidents Prizes in a row by adding a fourth. You’ll be able to see her playing for Currane ladies on Sunday 5th in the GAA semifinal and, to top all of that she will be appearing in the pantomime Aladdin at the Travellers Friend, Castlebar in the new year. (Tickets available from the Travellers Friend or Downtown records, Castlebar)
It goes without saying that she must also be every organised in order to fit all of this in. Is there anything she can’t do?
She took some time out from her extremely hectic schedule to answer our questionnaire:

Name:	Ann Sweeney
What do you do?	Legal Secretary
Favourite drink:	Budweiser
Favourite food:	Chicken
Favourite book:	Wings by Danielle Steel
Favourite film:	The Bodyguard
Favourite band:	Travis, David Gray and Bryan Adams
Best gig:	Bryan Adams at The Point, 1999
What would you do if you won the lottery?	Take a very long cruise around the world
What do you most like about Currane?	The people – they’re so friendly and the scenery which is hard to beat
Suggest something that would improve the area:	More employment
Favourite football team?	Man Utd (I had to say that!)
How many sports are you involved in?	Tennis (singles, doubles, mixed doubles) Soccer (Castlebar and Galway) Football (Currane and Achill) Badminton
Which person would you most like to meet?	Steffi Graff because of her great success and long career
What’s your favourite night out?	The TF (Travellers Friend in Castlebar) on a Sunday
What is the worst feeling in the world?	Losing a match when you expected to win
What is the best feeling in the world?	Taking off in a plane- I’d love to be a pilot!
What is the best holiday you’ve had?	3 weeks in Chicago this summer
Do you have any ambitions?	To travel the world. I’m off to Scotland shortly and I’m very much looking forward to visiting Australia
Where do you see yourself in ten years time?	I would like to still be involved in sport, enjoying life and still living in the West of Ireland.
Which Coronation Street character would you most like to be?	Linda- she’s gas!

 

Name:	Micéal Ruddy
What do you do?	Release Technician, Allergan, Westport.
Favourite drink	Guinness
Favourite food	Indian Curry
What book are you reading at the moment?	The Manchester United Monthly Edition
Favourite Music	Indie
What would you do if you won the lottery?	Spend it!
What do you most like about Currane?	The sense of community
Suggest something that would improve the area	Better roads
Favourite football team?	Manchester United
Favourite sports?	Olympic diving
What would your ideal Saturday night out be?	A typical Saturday night would be a few drinks in Currane at the Compass and the George. On to the Sound and then, if we’re still standing, on to the Achill Head.
What is the worst feeling in the world?	Waking up after a Saturday night in the Achill Head.
What is the best feeling in the world?	United winning the European Cup in Barcelona 1999.

 

 

Micéal Ruddy	Ann Sweeney	Ann Masterson (Mór) RIP	John (Mhikie) Gallagher
Sinead O’Malley	Cleo Watson	Charlie Gallagher	Noreen Gallagher and Maeve Cafferkey
Bridgie Moran RIP	Margaret Gallagher (D)	Patrick Francis Gallagher	Alistair Steger-Lewis