COILL DUBH. THE GATHERING. CLAIRE LUMSDEN

Coill Dubh  a great place to grow up

Coill Dubh was a great place to grow up in. Everybody knew everyone and we all looked out for each other. We had some great games on the big green: rounders, I call over, making houses out of the cut grass, skipping, hand ball. There was never a child inside, we hated going in when the lights came on. And of coarse there was the swings, we would be on them morning and night. We would sing ‘Where do you come from? Mighty, mighty, Coill Dubh!’ I know you all remember that….
Then there was the time the double decker bus came to the village. They would sing songs and say mass on the big green. Anyone remember? Then there was the white man, ha ha. That was the talk for ages, but I still don’t know what that was about. And of course my great mother Rena Power R.I.P., who nursed all in Coill Dubh, which she never minded, but that’s the way Coill Dubh people were. They would always help one another and still do to this day. Mighty, mighty, Coill Dubh.

Claire Lumsden (Power)

36 Coill Dubh

Continuing our series on Coill Dubh’s Gathering, we add Claire Lumsden’s memories of growing up in the Village. Our thanks to Claire