Mar 30 2014
A Singer in every family…
Mrs O’Brien who lived next door to us on Killala Road used to work as a seamstress in Arnott’s before she was married. As soon as she got the ring on her finger she had to leave her employment. When she eventually moved to Killala Road and the Coffey’s she took out her little sewing machine and began making clothes for some of us. She would recycle any old coat, dress or trousers and make an outfit for one or two of us boys.
Then of course there was always dresses to be made for all the girls. Mrs O’Brien had a great pair of hands and a great eye for measuring. My mother convinced her to start charging people for alterations and so forth but most times she knew that people didn’t have a lot of money and wouldn’t ask for anything in return.
She was a great neighbour to us and a great friend to my mother. She died in 1964 and my mother helped to lay her out. She is buried up in Glasnevin now. So hopefully she’s still busy doing alterations for all the angels and saint up above. Sure I bet St Peter must be due a new uniform by now…