Date of Birth: 21st May 1932

Place of Birth: 3 Menapia Avenue, Wexford

Date Interviewed: 23rd September 2008

Summary: In Part One Michael Kavanagh talks of the fond memories he has of his childhood in Wexford town. He particularly praises Joe Adams of Wexford Vocational school as “the best of teachers”. His father had a garage in Wexford’s Bullring since 1914 and Michael worked with him for a while. His father used to build boats just for fun. Michael remembers him building an American Everglades type aircraft-propeller powered boat. Michael recalls building his own car with his friend George – the car went on fire as they drove it down from Dublin! When Michael decided to get married he tried to earn extra money by taking on a part-time job selling bibles. He then went to work for Hoover where he and a colleague would use the names off headstones in Crosstown cemetery as sales leads! He remembers childhood holidays spent in Kilmore. When the tide was low they would fish for shrimp in the harbour and these would be cooked that evening to be eaten during card games. In Part Two Michael talks of summer holidays in Curracloe and enjoyable evenings dancing in the hotel near the beach. His fascination with making and flying model planes began when his father bought a rubber-powered model in 1937. Michael has been passionate about his hobby ever since and is a founder member of the Wexford Model Flying Club. He also talks about his time spent as a photographer and near-disasters trying to capture a bride and groom’s wedding day. When traffic wardens were first introduced to Wexford he decided to move his business from the Bullring to a new premises in John Street and his lawnmower agency thrived. He talks proudly of the achievements of his two daughters and of how he met and fell in love with his wife.