MEMORIES OF MERASHEEN
Margaret (Ennis) Brown, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A.

BADNESS

One year on Valentine's Day, Laura Hennessey and I made a big valentine heart out of snow and put it in a lady's porch. I won't say whose porch it was but she lived in Little Merasheen. We knocked on her door and ran. It was at night - so she couldn't see who did it.

TELLING TALES OUT OF SCHOOL

In Sixth Grade we had this lady teacher whom I won't name. She was very strict. When we were late for school, she had this leather strap and we would get 10 slaps on each hand. I remember the stinging on my hands but I never cried and I never told my parents.

WINTER

During the winter months, we'd go sliding on the road by Martin Connors’ house. We would often run into his house. He'd come out and chase us away. We'd go into the big hill and skate on the pond. We were never afraid we'd fall through the ice. I remember Tom, my brother, playing hockey up on the marsh. The cold never bothered us.Our mittens would be covered with snow and that kept our hands warm. I remember Mom knitting mittens for us.

PARTIES - DOWN AT JOHNNY ENNIS

I remember the parties at Mom and Dad's house. When we were small we'd be sent to bed. I remember sneaking down the stairs to watch. We'd hear the singing and dancing. Mom always had a big boiler of soup on the stove. She fed everyone around 12 o'clock. She made the best soup on the island. Mr. and Mrs. George Wilson were kept awake a lot during the parties. As I remember, they never complained. Bernard and Mag Hennessey lived next door. There was always home brew made for the parties.

GETTING DRUNK AND GETTING SICK

I remember-one time when my brother Austin was very young. Patrick Hennessey, Nick Wilson and Austin found some home brew. They drank it and got as sick as dogs.

PLAYING DRESS UP AND OTHER THINGS

I remember Laura Hennessey, Alice Wilson and myself playing dress up. We'd use our mother's dresses and we'd put lipstick on. I remember the big black purses we would use. We used to play Post Office. We'd make mud cakes. I hung around mostly with Laura and Mary Agnes. We'd have our fights but mostly we had lots of good times together.

PLAYING GAMES

During the nice weather we'd jump rope, play hopscotch, and Cat. I think one of our favorite games was Hide and Seek. We'd hide in Mr. George Wilson's and Mr. Paul Wilson's stage. Sometimes it would be hours we'd be gone and our friends never found us. Once we hid in the church porch. It was always so dark and scary in there.

HABITS - GOOD AND BAD

We would always go up to Mrs. Sis HouIihan's for pop and candy. It was the place to congregate. We even bought our cigarettes there. During high school, Laura Hennessey and I would give Monica Houlihan money at lunch time and she'd bring our cigarettes to school.

SCARY STORIES

I remember one All Soul's Day. It was at night. We were supposed to be in the house by 6:00 p.m. on a school night. Laura Hennessey and Mary Agnes Pearson were walking through the graveyard when they saw two white ghosts. It scared the daylights out of them. Later we found out it was Lucy Hennessey and Tom.

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

One time my brother Tom and a couple of his friends stole some cabbage from Mr. Tommy Pittman's garden at night. They ate some of it. They didn't know he had put some pesticide on it to kill the bugs. The next day they were violently ill so everyone knew who took Mr. Tommy's cabbage!