Evelyn Foster (b.1948), Mervyn Foster (b.1947) and James Foster

Evelyn Foster (b.1948), Mervyn Foster (b.1947) and James Foster

0.00

Want unlimited access to the Irish Life and Lore Oral History Archive? Subscribe by purchasing Gold Subscription, Silver Subscription or Bronze Subscription!

The farms of the two Foster families of cousins lie side by side; their lands straddle the Border between Derrylin and Ballyconnell, where they have farmed for many generations. Evelyn Foster’s (née Keyes) recently deceased husband ran a successful butchering business in Ballyconnell and farmed up to 130 acres. His father employed 20 to 30 people, mainly Catholics, at one time. Evelyn married into the Foster family in 1974 and the couple had six children, whom they reared during the Troubles. She recalls hearing gunfire over the house, when she and her young family would have to take cover under the kitchen table. Her youngest son James now runs the farm.

Mervyn Foster explains that the narrow lane which leads to both farmhouses had been spiked and cratered during the first Troubles. He gave permission to the neighbouring farmers in the Republic to use one of his fields as a passageway to the North, and he recalls seeing pigs being smuggled across the Border on many occasions. The structure of his silage sheds bore the evidence of crossfire during the years of the Troubles. Good relations were maintained between the Fosters and the Nationalists in the South, he explains, and they attended services in Ballyconnell church on Sundays. Occasionally, post for the Foster family would be processed through the post office at Ballyconnell without any difficulty. Evelyn and Mervyn explain that, during the very difficult years of the Troubles, they “just got on with it” while hoping that trouble would never reach their door.

This collection, carried out by Irish Life and Lore on behalf of Cavan County Library Service, is funded by the EU Special EU Programmes Body Peace IV fund under the objective to build positive relations with people from different backgrounds and communities to support peace and reconciliation.

Download the recording free of charge by adding it to the basket and checking out as normal or listen to it online at this link: CDVOT01-27-Foster

Additional information

Type:

MP3

Audio series:

Voices of the Troubles

Download time limit:

48 hours

Number of files:

1

Recorded by:

Maurice O'Keeffe – Irish Life and Lore

Product ID:

CDVOT01-27

Length:

37 mins

Date Recorded

29/11/2017

Location of Recording

Knockedoose, Co. Fermanagh