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GROWING UP IN QUIVVY By Fidelma Tinneny
I
lived there with my parents, three sisters and younger brother until I was 17.
I live in England now, but return to Quivvy approximately six times a
year. It still is and always will
be home. Never a day goes by that I
don't miss it's peace.
Fidelma Tinneny Tanner. Photo courtesy of Richard Tinneny. Comparing
the restricted lives of children in England to my own youth, - we had a lot to
be thankful for. My parents great
fear was of us going alone to the river or lake, but we could wonder freely and
safely. We lived in fear of the
dreaded " water horse" at the bridge.
We were banned at playing at this area because it was/is so dangerous.
Until I was about 16, I really believed the water horse would get us if
we went there; Many a day I said the Rosary from Mrs. Bell's black gate until I
got to our land, afraid of the water horse and what would be said when I got
home for being late! The
school bus - mini bus - picked us up each morning at Mrs. Bell's at 8:05.
We used Mrs. Bell's stick shed as a shelter.
Mrs. Wilson drove us daily, and sometimes her husband Johnny.
I always thought Mrs. Wilson was very cross, but she wasn't really.
She looked after us well, ensuring we wore our caps, had our coats
buttoned up, and crossed the road safely. Our
school days were very long, and we didn't get home until 4:30pm.
At one stage there was no school bus, and we had to cycle to school on
the bad road in the snow and the rain. We usually had a packed lunch at school
(sometimes we went to our aunt's shop). The
town children would swap their loaf bread for our homemade bread and jam. The nuns used to give us bread and jam sandwiches in the
evening time. Loaf
bread was a big treat when we were small. So
was cake from the shop! There was
always a big bag of flour by the fire in our house, and Mammy made bread nearly
every day. On a Thursday Miley
Burke would drive his blue van down our way, (he had a mobile shop).
Granddad Tinneny lived with us then.
He would send us to buy two packets of silver mints, and we were usually
allowed to keep the change - 2p. It
meant a lot to us then! Mammy
sometimes bought loaf bread, and snowballs as a big treat. Soda bread and homemade cake is a big treat for me now! We
grew most of our own vegetables and had our own hens and cows for eggs and milk.
John Grogan used to plough the potato field every year with Daddy - this
was as big a day as haymaking. We
had to help sew the spuds - that was OK, but digging them once they were grown
was hateful! It wouldn't be too bad
if it wasn't raining and always so cold! In
the summertime we took the boat out on the river, this was great fun.
We could go to Derravona (Mammy's home place), over to Gola, Crom Castle,
into town or even to Enniskillin if we needed to.
At secondary school in Belturbet I learned to water-ski and other water
sports; it was only then that I began to appreciate the value of living so close
to the water. We could swim in the
front lough (Killylea lake), this was so big some of the town children used to
think it was the sea! In
the winter if the pipes froze, we had to break the ice at the river and carry
the water back to the house for us. I
remember when we had the running water put in, and it was only recently when we
were still boiling water in saucepans to use for bathing. Because
we lived so far from town, it was hard for us to get everywhere.
We cycled to band and dance practice when we got older, Mammy took us
when we were younger. In the winter
there was Scor, Readoiri, choir, music, band and dancing - as well as school!
Daddy used to say we never stopped "running"!
I always got a bad chest when I was small, and Mammy would put buttered
brown paper and Vicks on my under vest. This
was very embarrassing when I was in competition!
I recall one day when I was reciting " Ah no Jimmy ah no" at
Scor. I lost my voice the afternoon
before the competition. Mammy sent
me to bed to rest, and downstairs I could hear my sister Aisling imitating me
reciting. It was hilarious to all
she was performing for - but not for me! After
I had shouted a bit she continued to mimic my hoarse voice, and later made me a
bottle of "cop on" as a remedy for my tantrum! We
often weren't allowed to go to the discos and such as the town kids were, as we
would have to get a lift home or have Mammy or Daddy pick us up.
This caused many a row in adolescents - it still does!
Our boyfriends now dislike the long drive to Quivvy late at night;
although they love the tranquillity of life there. There
was great advantage to living in the countryside at national school. - we found
birds nests, and their eggs, acorns, leaves for the nature table.
We knew most of the birds, and had seen them, all the trees, and were
familiar with the ways of nature. We had lots of open fields and trees to play
and hide in, and when any friends or relatives came to stay, we could take them
out in the boat, or down to Clifford's or the orchard to pick apples.
There were disadvantages too, - we had to go to bed early because of our
early school start; we hardly ever saw any other children - apart from at school
-, because there weren't any, and we rarely got sweets! - apart from when we
delivered the Messengers for Sister Finbar.
All the neighbors gave us sweets or cake if they had any. Clifford
Barber was an old man with a funny hat. He
would visit us every week and bring us a wagon wheel each.
Tom Tummin also visited, he brought a big bag of sweets also! Daddy sometimes brought a lollipop home from work, this was
the biggest treat of all because we weren't expecting it! Auntie
Kathleen and Uncle Aiden lived next door. We
sometimes got a lift to town with them during school holidays - if we were
allowed! Uncle Aiden was great for
telling stories of the area, and helped us with many a school project. The
hunt often took place down our way, - sometimes we seldom see now.
This was very exciting, with lots of hounds barking and running;
Sometimes we caught a glimpse of the ox! Visitors
to Quivvy were always a novelty - Even the postman!
On a Sunday afternoon when the church bells rang at Quivvy church, my
sisters and I often found an excuse to go for a walk to see who might be around!
The church is no longer in use as such now. When
I was very young there was a white fungus growing at the side of the church in
the shape of a witches hat. I let
my imagination run wild and convinced myself there was a witch there, so I ran
like mad past the church on my way home from school for fear the witch might
come to life! Over the church door
was/is a swarm of bees in the summertime. I
used to run past this for fear of getting stung!
Some of the town boys used to think it was funny to throw stones at the
bees; - they didn't afterwards!! Mr.
Cole kept cattle on his land in Quivvy. We
used to think they were bulls because they weren't as tame as our cattle.
Many a day we thought they chased us on our way home from school or
stealing apples, but it wasn't us they were after it was the dogs;
But they put the fear of God in us! I
learned to walk, talk, run, play, write, drive and live in Quivvy.
I'm twenty four years old now and I hope that if someday I have children
I can bring them up in a similar environment.
It is not until you leave the peace and beauty behind that you appreciate
it fully. So
Thank You Quivvy, and thank you Mammy and Daddy, and all the people who made my
youth so wonderful, and still do. You
are not forgotten, and are always in my heart - Anseo i Lar an Ghleanna.
    
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