Paddy Ruane

 

Paddy Ruane

Full Name: Paddy Ruane

Occupation: Retired Farmer

Favourite Food: Bacon and Cabbage

Favourite Drink: Glass of Stout. As a young lad I didn’t drink much – only what I got as a treat as times were hard and money was scarce.

Favourite pastimes: I enjoy reading, especially the daily newspapers. In my younger days I enjoyed dancing – the reel was my favourite dance.

Memory of First Dance: In my young days Healy’s of Russelstown was a great place of entertainment. An old house was converted into a hall. We danced a lot of sets and waltzes until early hours of the morning. The music was provided by anyone who could play an accordion, violin or any instrument. There was no charge for the entertainment.

Favourite Song: “I’ll take you Home Again, Kathleen” and all Irish songs.

Earliest Memory: I started smoking the clay pipe at the age of eight years. I called to Hannon’s house every day after school. Mrs Hannon, an old woman would give me a pull of the pipe as a treat for bring in the turf and very soon I started smoking my own clay pipe.

Worst moment at school: I had no bad moments. I was taught by Mrs Heaney And Mr O’Kane.

First Job: From the age of 19 to 24, I worked in England potato picking, beet picking and in the hay fields. We started working every morning at 6.20 am and we worked until very late at night.

Favourite colours: Red

Favourite T.V. Programme: News, debates and all media documentaries

Favourite Chat Show: The Late Late show

Person you most admire: My wife Katheleen, as she is the best….

If you won the Lotto: I would divide it out between my family. It would be no good to me as I wouldn’t be able to spend it. I would treat my friends and neighbours to a good old night-out on the town.

Biggest changes you have seen over the years:

– Different types of machinery: not much manual work nowadays.

– Glad to see women going to a public house for a drink. In my day women from once they got married they were sentenced. If a woman was seen in a pub, she would be the talk of the place and “The devil of a man she would ever get.”

Favourite motto: Money is the darling

If you weren’t Paddy Ruane who would you like to be? I am very happy as I am but I wouldn’t mind having plenty of money to spread around.

Paddy lives in Gurrane, Belmont, Milltown with his wife Kathleen. He has a family of six – Cuig Buachaillí agus Cailin amhain

Milltown Newsletter Summer 1994