Date of Birth: 3rd November 1925

Place of Birth: Clonhaston, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford

Date Interviewed: 9th April 2009

Summary: Maisie has great memories of her early life living in a thatched cottage and recalls baking bread on the open fire when she was 9 years old. Although her parents’ background was in farming her father was also a ganger with the Council and travelled to work around the Oulart and Ballagh areas on his bicycle. Maisie left school at 14 to look after her father who was an invalid for 16 years. She didn’t marry until she was 29. Maisie tells the story of the tragic accident that caused her grandfather’s death. He was employed at Bolgers of Ferns and was cleaning the grinding stone one day when someone started it up and he was crushed to death. Although her life was tough and full of hard work Maisie also recalls the good times – she talks of the great fun that was had at threshing times with the socialising and dancing that followed the hard work of the harvest.