When I was young my mother, Mary Grady, often spoke about her aunts who had emmigrated to America. She told me how they often sent parcels to her when she was a young girl living at the homeplace in Derrentighne.
It would be a great day that she would walk into Castlerea post office and pick up the parcels. These parcels would contain jumpers, coats, dresses etc. One particular dress my mother kept.
I remember this dress hanging in her wardrobe and as a child I thought this was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen, like something out of Hollywood. I love the old black and white movies!
Many an evening my mother and I would sit and talk about her life in Ireland and the dances etc. I would ask her what they wore and how they would dance and the music and she would tell me about the laughs they would have on the way home from the dance.
Years later, after my mother had her first stroke we sat talking as we had so often in the past. We talked about Ireland, the dances and the clothes that came from America with this I ran upstairs to see the dress. By now the dress looked very sad, little snags here and there the silk lining was all damaged, such a shame but I tried it on anyway and it fitted like a glove!
Despite its sad state the layers fell beautifully. I went downstairs and walked in the room and my mothers face lit up. I moved around the room dancing and swirling the dress moved so elegantly with me. My mother streched out her hand to touch the dress and said ' I danced in the that dress' I could see in that moment she was taken back to a time that seemed so long gone....I will never forget that nite.
After my mother passed away I decided to take the dress and try and save it. Whilst working on the dress I discovered from the make of the zip the dress was American so it confirmed to me that either Kitty or Mary Ellen (Nelly) had sent this to my mother.
I thought I would never know which one of them? Then I met Geraldine Clancy Drohan, Mary Ellens (Nelly) daughter and the first thing I noticed was how tall and slim she was, just like my mother, also a few years older and Geraldine had no sisters, so I guess my mother got a few 'hand me downs' from Geraldine over the years.
The dress is repaired as best I can it was tricky being old and fragile.
The dress I adored as a child now hangs in my wardrobe. I put the dress on every now and then and swirl around as my mother did before me.
The dress comes to life and my mothers memories with it..........Magic☄
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| Mary Ellen and Kitty Grady |
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| Geraldine Clancy Drohan |
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| Tommy Grady and Mary, my mother. |
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| THE DRESS and me |
