Date of Birth: 18h March 1932

Place of Birth: Castlebridge, Co. Wexford

Date Interviewed: 4th September 2008

Summary: Michael Murphy lived in Castlebridge village till he was 33 years old. He remembers never being bored – there was always something to do. He and his friends played handball and hurling and went swimming in the Slaney. In winter they would play cards and billiards in the Reading Rooms in the centre of Castlebridge. After a short time working in Wexford Michael got a job in Nunns in Castlebridge where his father worked. The work was hard but “fun” and the pay was good. Michael describes in detail the workload and the malting process. Cots would dock and be loaded with malt. These would bring their cargo to Wexford quays to be loaded onto boats. Michael recalls an incident where the grain stores went on fire and how they dealt with this. The large waterwheel, still visible in the village, was used to provide electricity for the grain stores and Michael’s family was lucky enough to be allowed to have a light bulb in their kitchen when everyone else depended on candles and oil lamps.