Category: People

Ann Sweeney – 12th November 2002

From: Ann Sweeney 12th November 2002
Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all well. Sorry I haven’t emailed in a while but I’ve been very busy what with work and going out. Life is tough over here!!! Well my temporary job is going great, the people I’m working with are lovely. The guy who actually owns the Company is filthy rich – he only ownes a niteclub, his own plane, has his own indoor pool and a few companies in Melbourne but I know he’s not happy, he can’t be!!!

Well, on Tuesday we went to the famous Melbourne Cup that everyone talks about. Imagine a Country that takes a bank holiday for a 3 minute horserace? It’s great, its no wonder we’re here!!! We had the best day and craic!! We all wore our County jerseys. There were 2 from Kerry, 2 from Mayo, 1 Donegal and 1 from Galway and a poor unfortunate dub!! We never got so much attention in all our lives!! We must have met every Irish person at the Melboure Cup. It started off on the tram getting to the races, it was so funny!! We could have worn $2,000 suits but no one would have noticed us!!, The very first race, my horse came in 1st. I nearly lost my life! I won $66 and on the main race my horse came in but the odds weren’t the best god bless him so I won $40 not bad for a total beginner!! We took some great pictures of us all with sailors, cops people dressed as Vikings, you name it they were there!!! Of course we had to sample the champagne to celebrate our win!! I would highly recommend this day to anyone – brillant!!,

It’s all go here at the moment, we’re all going away this weekend to the Great Ocean Road about 2 hours from Melbourne, staying in holiday house which 2 girls from Melbourne parents own. I tell ya we have it sorted so looking forward to that!!

The weather is beautiful here at the moment. Today its 31. It was so hot inside. Hopefully our Summer is here at last!!,

Well, I have to go now and pack for the weekend, god its tough!!!,

take care everyone

Ann

Ann Sweeney – 21st October 2002

From: Ann Sweeney 21st October 2002
Hi Everyone, Greetings from Melbourne!

Hope you’re all well and happy.
Wasn’t that terrible about the Bali bombing? Just to think we were there in that bar 2 months ago and in the Irish bar Paddies across the road.  Well, 2 friends of ours are so lucky they are still alive. They were the 2 girls we met in Vietnam, both from Melbourne. They were actually in Kuta and planning to go to that nite club on Saturday nite but Lou’s ankle was hurting her or they would have been there. They came home to Melbourne yesterday so we’re meeting them at the weekend, they’re very lucky girls!!

On Sunday we hired out 2 cars. I hadn’t driven in 6 months and driving an automatic was pretty different. God, you’d get so lazy driving them!! We decided to get out of the city for the day, we had a great time. We went the Dandenong Mountains, wow, the view was lovely! The city looked tiny from miles away. From there, we went to Healesville Sanctuary and finally got to see some Kangeroos, Koalas and flying fox!!! The foxes were scary looking, hanging upside down. They stared you out of it just like bats!!! From there we drove to Williamstown, very much like St Kilda, the main interest was to cross over a massive bridge called the West Gate Bridge. Seeing it every day at the Rialto buildings I was dying to cross over it. On the way back it was dark and the city looked amazing at nite from the bridge!! It really was a great day, 6 Irish (of course we’d have the larger gang!!!, 1 English and 1 Scottish girl on the road great fun!!,

Still working away but we moved office, really missing the Rialto and view but this place is actually nice as well!!, the offices are way bigger. This job we’re working on has a deadline of Friday week, so we’re all working both Saturday and Sunday over the weekend.

The weather today is beautiful, its 29 degrees and would you believe I’m wearig a pair of shorts for the first time in Melbourne so lets hope it keeps up!!!

Well I hope ye all have a great weekend!!, its nearly there for ye all, hang in there!!

well that’s all for the news for now

take care
Ann

Adrian & Laima Whitty – 17th September 2002

From: Adrian & Laima Whitty (a_lwhitty@yahoo.com) 17th September 2002

A big hello to all of our friends in Currane. I just thought I’d update you all on my mother Pauline following her rescue from Currane hill. She’s going to make a good recovery, she had her cast off two weeks ago. The doctor gave the surgeon in Galway ‘ten out of ten’ (in fact, it’s not clear she would have received such good treatment in the U.K.). She still has a bit of a limp, which will go away in time, but she?s walking around without any support, and has been driving – to her considerable joy – for a week or more. She still tends to be a bit careful with her ankle. I keep telling her that, with the pins and plates, that’s probably the strongest part of her body now. The outcome could have been far worse without the help provided by you, Michael Ruddy (forever ‘Jane’s uncle Michael’ to us!), Helen O’Malley, Noreen Gallagher, Tim Daly, and the rest of the Achill Mountain rescue, Gerald Sweeney, and (of course) Caroline O’Malley. We think of you all often.
I wonder what my next birthday has in store?!

With our very best wishes from

Adrian, Laima, and family

 

Eamon Campbell – 16th September 2002

From: Eamon Campbell (eamon_campbell@lineone.net) 16th September 2002
I would like to introduce my Dad, Thomas (Tomas) Campbell
Tomas was born of Catherine Madden and Tomas Campbell in Glasilaun or Polabroic (forgive the phoenetics), Corraun.
His (Tomas’) siblings were Mary (older), Michael, Tony and Patrick.
My Great uncles (Madden) were Uncles Terry ,Willie, Tony and the Gracie (phonetic).
My family Campbell is less well known to me.
The Navvy was my great-grandfather who, I believe, built the house in Corraun where my family still live.
My Aunt Biddy (nee Madden) had her home at Cloghaun; my cousins Theresa, Gertie, Breedge (forgive spelling) and John grew up there. John, the Harbour Master, is the only one left there.
I would like to suggest my Dad as one of your personalities in your person of the moment section.
There is much to say about his life, most of which is still being researched by yours truly.
Dad was born and grew up in Currane until the age of about 14 when he, like many others, left for the great Scottish adventure. He came home during the war years where he was a coastguard based both in Currane and Keem. He later became an Army/Marine instructor. He has had a varied and vivid life taking him all over the world (I was born in Borneo, of all places). My Father always ‘came back’, every year to see his Mammy. We, as children, came and enjoyed ourselves, but learnt the values that kept this community together then and now. My Children also have learnt the same.

For now, slean agus beannachts,
Eamon, Susan
Katherine Siobhan, Bethany Marie, Sophie May Campbell
Norfolk
UK

Matthias Rübben – 1st September 2002

From: Matthias Rübben (irlmat@t-online.de) 1st September 2002
This year we stayed from August 10th until August 23rd at Frank Charlys in Currane. We had a good time and we were lucky to have more sun than rain.
I’d like to thank the Ryders who did everything to make our time so comfortable.
Thanks to everyone I met for the incomparable kindness, especially my friend Eoin Moran for a lot of good conversation and the great fresh fish.
Our children cried the whole way to Castlebar when we had to leave.
I look forward to come back as soon as possible.

Thanks Matthias, Elke & children