CATHERINE WALSH:

Mrs. Walsh was born on February 2, 1861 and died December 27, 1960, just a few weeks before her 100 birthday, making her the oldest resident in Merasheen.

l guess there was no women's lib in Mrs. Kate's day, but, like most women of the day, she did her share of washing and drying fish, making hay, etc. However, the following story about Mrs. Kate will give us some insight as to the character of the women folk in the out ports in those days.

Kate went to Presque along with her husband Dinny in their jaunter to get some supplies for a small store she had in the store loft. While Kate was shopping, Skipper Dinny was having a few drinks with the boys, and when it was time to return, Kate could see that Dinny was in no shape to steer, so she took the wheel. Single handed she sailed across the bay and in through the narrows, tacked in through the harbour and luffed around Barry’s Bottom. Still under full sail she docked without cracking an egg shell and stomped up to the house, quite disgusted at Dinny who was still singing her up in the foc’sle.