You have no idea how thrilled we were to come across your website. Wanting to make contact with the family, we have tried several times googling Robin, the only name we could remember, from when he organised accommodation for us at UCD many years ago. We think we also met Peter and Netta.
We loved Elizabeth and talk of her often, having many wonderful memories of her, starting with when she arranged for Joe to give a lecture at Maynooth even before meeting or asking him. She was also responsible for his writing an article on Walter de Lacy for R?ocht na M?dhe.
Other memories include
– her ?football team? of cairn terriers and her love of hollyhocks
– a day out with Poppy ?to put the manners on her? ? after a picnic at Carlingford, Poppy duly disappeared down a rabbit hole at Granard motte. As the semi-final against France meant we were the only people abroad, Elizabeth was resigned to putting an advert in the paper for her, but happily Poppy re-appeared once we started leaving. Caroline has indelible memories of Elizabeth?s and Joe?s bottoms sticking up in the air, their heads in the hole, shouting for Poppy
– meeting a Skryne resident at Heywood Gardens. We assumed ?you must know Elizabeth? – this in due course led to ?you mean Mrs Hickey!?
– her visit to us in Herefordshire, to see Longtown castle – first stop was to buy wellington boots
– her determination to maintain the castle herself, climbing up to fix the chimney and rolling huge stones to the driveway for repairs
– our last visit to her, shortly before she died, when she was quite frail but still berating her publisher on the phone when we arrived
– many more.
We are very sad to read ?in memory of Robin and Peter?. What happened to them? Small wonder we couldn?t find Robin.
We notice it will be Elizabeth?s centenary this year. Are you planning anything for 27 August or thereabouts? We always remember her birthday, though do not remember why we know it!
In loving memory of a very special person, and with very best wishes to her family
Joe & Caroline Hillaby
