Hello. I have been looking at the Dreenan website, with your 'walk' along the roads. I really enjoyed that. I was Anne McNally, from 'Bansha' in Ballymacpeake, sister of Charlie & Brendan. I was home last Sept/Oct, and in my head, I often travel those roads. Thank you for your efforts.
Anne Smith in Victoria, Australia

My name is Joepat, and I was born in the lovely Co. Derry, North of the border, in the year of 1942 during World War 2, and in a way, we were poor but very happy in our simple little way. I was born on a bleak hill-side called locally “The Hamill’s Hill” and spent many a happy day there in my bare feet, (and to be honest, the young people of to-day don’t know what happiness is) I went to “Dreenan Primary School” and walked less than a mile up the road, with my other siblings in the Hamill-family, Brian, Donard, Mary, Ann, and Joan, later Gerry, and Lucy, though I can’t recall them there in my time.

Dreenan School was a far-cry from what the schools is to-day, there was no central heating, some of the “better-fed” would bring some turf, or coal I think, for the open fire, and you would be glad of it in the winter time, and I remember the time when they built on a porch, at the front door, which was an improvement. Some of us would go to school during the summer in our bare feet, out of bravado, but in my case it really was to save maybe the one pair of shoes I had, that was life in the late 40s and early 50s.

In early summer days coming home from school, we would search for birds nests, while some of the others (including our Donard) would indulge in unsavoury tactics with the wild-life, especially the birds by using “catapults” to kill the little birds, something I disliked even then, the beauty of the wild-life was more evidence in those days.

In Dreenan we learned our prayers, that has stood good to me today, and a little “ Irish” as well, especially the “Our Father, and Hail Mary” in Irish, which I still hold today,

I well remember some of the families who went to school with me, in those far-off days, the McPeakes from Carnaman, the Boyles from Drumuck, the Mckees, and Mogans who came across a dangerous foot-bridge through fields to come out at “Causon Cuttings” to join us, with the O’Neills in tow, the Gallaghers from Lr., Dreenan, the O’Neills and Mary Downey, from the “Rocks” the OKanes from “the Hangman’s Rock” the Cushley’s

McNally’s, and many more, I would’ve best remembered those in my class, like say, Johnny McPeake, Brian Boyle, Sean Gallagher, Frank McKee, Mickie, and John O’Neill, Charlie Cushley, Conn O’Neill, Eilish McKee, Shiela McPeake, Bridie, and Roseleen O’Neill, Ann, and Una  Gallagher, there also I remember “Conn’s Ann” and Ann Cushley, “Beesy” and Roseleen O’Kane, some of those are not with us anymore, sad to say, (many from my own family) may God have mercy on their souls.

My best school friends were Sean Gallagher, and Frank McKee, I was extremely close to.

Those were happier times I suppose, and we always look back with fond memories, on our younger days, but I was a sensitive child, nervous, and unsure, and to be honest I couldn’t say I was really happy, I was very conscious, and terribly ashamed of being poor, this in a sense affected my learning, and although I attained Class 6^th, I left school at the age of 14 semi-illiterate. (I hold no blame to anyone for that,) my Father, and mother, wouldn’t have being great scholars them selves, it’s just the cards your dealt.

I would like this opportunity to express my appreciation to all my past teachers, ( most are gone to their eternal reward ) Miss Mooney, Miss Boyle, Patsy Breen, Sally Young, and I think there was some others, but I can’t get a name, or a face.

To all my school- friends alive and where-ever they may be, I wish them well,

To those who are no longer with us, Trocaire  De ar a Anamacha.