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This story was collected and transcribed by Mark Jeffers, with permission from the author. The author understands the terms and conditions.

I lived in Dublin during WW2. In our village they made Guinness and malt whiskey in the brewery across the street. Farmers used to come and buy the slummage from the brewery to feed their cattle.

We once saw a Zeppelin flying overhead in summertime during WW2. We were able to look out and watch it flying over the trees. I still remember it had ‘R101’ written on the side.

There were no mills working in my area at that time. The Guinness brewery was the only place where men could get work but there was plenty of work there as whiskey was brewed twenty four hours a day.

I had a rationing book in WW2. Some of the streets were fitted out with air raid shelters and we were all given gas masks. We never had to use them of course.

Our home was surrounded by a park. English soldiers lived under canvas in the Phoenix Park. Village children used to go and run errands for them and the soldiers paid them well. One day my son went up and this particular soldier wanted biscuits. Biscuits in those days were contained in a metal box. When my boy was crossing a stile into the park a man hit the biscuits out of his hand with a Hurley stick. Luckily he had plenty of change so he went and bought another box.

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