Back in 1979 most people in her neighbourhood did not go away very much. So when she went to a summer camp for 5 nights to Ballina, Co Donegal, it was very unusual. At the camp they stayed in church halls and they had regular trips to the beach where they played many sports such as soccer and rounders. She also said that they played in the church grounds when they were not at the beach, having BBQ’S or chilling out.
Most of her friends were there too which made her enjoy it even more.
Her mum’s friend collected them on the Saturday morning which was the 1st of September. They were driving home and they had the radio on in the car. This was the first time they had heard that Lord Mountbatten had been killed 5 days before on the 27th of August in Mullaghmore. They were all shocked and scared that such a horrible thing could happen so close to their home. Mullaghmore was only about 22 miles from their home in Co. Sligo. They were also rather shocked as they had not heard about it at camp even though it was so nearby. What scared her most was that a bomb had gone off in the south of Ireland close to home. Most of “the troubles” happened far away “up north”!
As they drove past Cliffoney Co. Sligo they looked down at MullaghmoreBay, the scene of all the destruction, and they were very sad at what had happened. It affected them greatly as they were only 11 years old at the time.
By Jonathan Higgins