THE GATHERING: COILL DUBH

Growing up in Coill Dubh, Number 42

Our family moved to Coill Dubh in 1963 when I was 14 years old. My parents, Mary and Micheal McManus came from Counties Monahan and Fermanagh, my mother from Fermanagh and my father from Monahan. My father was a motor mechanic. He had a garage in Fermanagh, but just thought it was time for a change. He applied for a job with Bord ma Mona and was succesful in his application. We then moved to County Kildare. I have one sister and four brothers, Maura is the eldest, then myself, Micheal, Hugh, Thomas and Conor. The boys all went to Coill Dubh School, then onto Prosperous. I started work when I was around 15 years of age, it was in The Meat Packers in Leixlip. Then as I got older I started to go out and met lots of friends. We did most of our dancing in Rathcoffey Hall, and Lawlor’s of Naas. My friends were Hannah Sullivan, Josie Barrett, Margaret Brereton and many more. Then I met my partner Noel Smullen, and got married on the 18th March 1978. Still going strong.
Mags Smullen.

As Coill Dubh’s Gathering Festival gathers pace we will be publishing stories from many of the families and people who came to the area sixty years ago. Our thanks to Mags Smullen