Date of Birth: Born 6th September 1938

Place of Birth: Tincurry, Co. Wexford

Date Interviewed: 5th September 2008

Summary: Alan Owens has strong memories of his childhood in Tincurry. He recalls how, during WW2, he and his family would hide in a lane near their home as bomber planes flew overhead. At one time the windows of the house were blown out by a bomb dropped nearby. Their home had no electricity, no running water and rationing meant things were scarce. Their only means of transport was a horse and cart. He does not have very happy memories of his time at Tombrack school – one teacher was particularly heavy-handed when it came to physical punishment. Alan left school at 13 to work on a farm, but this was not to his liking. He managed to secure a place in Enniscorthy Vocational School which he enjoyed and then got an apprenticeship in a new garage in Ferns. He remembers Ferns as a thriving and bustling place with lots of shops, a train station, hotel and a cinema. The annual Corpus Christi procession was always an exciting event. Alan has a strong interest in local history and has fascinating accounts of incidents concerning the Famine and 1798.