Michael Finucane

Michael was born in 1928, on Foynes Island, and lived there until 1968, his family being the last to leave the island. He describes island life, the other families who lived there and the tradition of piloting boats up the Shannon river to Limerick city. Michael recalls one of his island neighbours, the patriot Conor O’Brien and, as a young boy, observing him repairing and building boats. Michael’s father, Jack, and Conor were good friends and often sailed together. He then describes the flying-boats that would land at Foynes and recalls an incident when one of these ran into trouble on the water and he came to the rescue of the passengers. Michael was Harbourmaster in Foynes and remembers the dredging of the harbour and the busy nature of Foynes in those days. Finally, he states his belief that he is the last man living who remembers the air raid shelter which was built voluntarily by local people during the Emergency, but luckily was never used.