Phil Johnson
‘An áit a bhfuil cónaí orm anois bhí sean-oifig an phoist ann. Raghfá ón gcistin isteach in oifig an phoist. Bhí Peig Johnson pósta le Tom O’Connor agus bhí a deartháir Johnny ina chónaí léi.
‘Nuair a tháinig mé anseo don chéad uair, ní raibh a fhios agam cé bhí le bualadh liom. Is as Dún na nGall dom agus ní raibh mé riamh chomh gar don fharraige. Ag teacht isteach sa teach don chéad uair bhí Gaeilge á labhairt acu go léir agus níor thuig mé faic.
‘Bhí Michael, Maureen. Regina, Bernie, Phil agus Seanín ann — bhí Paddy i mBaile Átha Cliath agus bhí Dickie as baile chomh maith ag obair.
‘Ní raibh mé at 13 bliain déag nuair a chuaigh mé ó Dún na nGall go Baile Átha Cliath as chun dul ag obair, ach is domhan eile ar fad a bhí i gceist ag teacht anseo. Bhí mé ag dul ar ais sna blianta. Suaitheadh cultúir a bhí ann agus b’éigean dom dul i dtaithí air.'
‘Where I live now was the old post office — you went from the kitchen into the post office. Peig Johnson was married to Tom O’Connor and her brother Johnny lived with her.
‘Coming down here first I was nervous because I didn’t know who I was going to be meeting. I’m from Donegal and I was never as close to the sea. Coming into the house they were all talking Irish and I didn’t understand a thing.
‘Michael and Maureen. Regina, Bernie, Phil, Seanín — Paddy was in Dublin and Dick was away working. I was only 13 when I came to Dublin from Donegal to go working, but coming down here was like coming to a different world. You were going back in time. It was a bit of a culture shock. I had to get used to it.’