Date of Birth: 23rd June 1933

Place of Birth: Ballinesker, Curracloe, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford

Date Interviewed: 29th January 2010

Summary: Jack Harding grew up near Curracloe but did not appreciate the beach when he was young. He recalls locals beachcombing during the winter months when items like timber, coal and rubber were washed ashore from shipwrecks. The bailiffs were constantly on the lookout so these goods had to be kept out of sight, often under rows of cabbages! Jack enjoyed dancing to the sounds of The Dixies, Sean Dunphy and Brendan Bowyer in Curracloe’s Strand Hotel which used to be the Coastguard Station. He remembers snaring rabbits and says rabbit stew was “lovely”. Apart from a little fishing Jack has farmed for most of his life and was “happy as Larry” when he was out ploughing the fields. Jack loved hurling and in 1958 he was captain of the Shelmaliers Senior team. He feels lucky to have been selected for the Wexford team that won the Leinster Cup and the All-Ireland Championship in 1960.