NAN BOLAND, TULLAMORE, AGED 89

With the assistance of P.J. Gorey, I recorded Nan Boland, the lock-keeper for many years at the Round Lock. She took over the job from her father at a young age because of his ill health. A woman of great stamina in her day, she worked around the clock to ready the lock by regulating the flow of water into it throughout the day and night. She found time to look after a few cows, pigs and hens by the lock bank, and also made butter for the market place. She had a great rapport with the boatmen, including the McDonalds, the Gills, the Bolgers, the Moloneys and P.J Gorey’s uncles, the Dunnes.