Bridget Kavanagh (née Murphy) (b. 1924) (part 1)

Bridget Kavanagh is introduced by Donal McDonald. Bridget was born in one of the Colles marble works cottages in 1924. Her three uncles and her father came from New Ross to Maddoxtown to work in the quarries. Her father worked as a trimmer and two of her three uncles worked as a polisher and a cutter. Bridget recalls Richard Colles, the last of the family to run the works, and she is proud to say that she is the custodian of the accounts and wages books used there at that time. A wonderful lady, Joan O’Gorman is fondly recalled. She would provide dance classes and drama for the children and young adults at the works. The names of many of the workers are recalled and the local hurling team of the time. The closure of the works created great difficulties, and her father had to return to work as a farm labourer. Bridget describes in vivid detail an incident from her childhood involving parish dues and her encounter with the local parish priest in this context.