This evening I happened onto the Dripsey Website.....and then on to the Dripsey Woollen Mills photographs......and lo and behold! I found among the Woollen Mills workforce in 1958, the face of my father's cousin, Mary Forde.

I made a copy of the photo and with a magnfying glass, it definitely shows Mary.

[She's a white-haired lady about two to three rows down from the joining of the roofs of the two buildings----depending upon which way it's counted]

Unfortunately, the Woolen Mills workforce photo from 1953 was not clear, nor are

the photos from 1914 and 1937.

My Mother, Sister and I visited Dripsey for the first time around 1953, and Mary took

us to see the Dripsey Woolen Mills which was very interesting, and the woolen fabrics

were beautiful. I believe other members of the Forde family may have worked at the Dripsey Woollen Mills over the years, but I have no idea of the names or dates.

Before it became a Woollen Mill, perhaps even my Grandfather, Edward Forde, may have been employed there. Edward (Ned) Forde emigated to Jersey City, New Jersey, in the U.S. sometime in the mid-to-late 1890's. [My father, Dennis J. Ford, was born in Jersey City in 1899.....and there had been two sisters born before him.]

Although Mary and her Mother, Margaret, have died, I've often driven to Dripsey for

a look around. Not long ago I was lucky enough to meet some cousins who live in the Cork City area, which was like meeting, and being very comfortable with, old friends.

It was a lovely surprise to come upon this website, and I enjoyed it very much. It

certainly brought back happy memories of my many visits to Dripsey and Ireland.

Thank you for the trip back into time,

All the best,

Maureen Ford, Summit, N.J. USA

PS I remember Mary had the most amazing White Calla Lillies growing in the most

beauifully tended garden. It seemed to be a trait in the Forde family, for my father

loved gardening, as did his sister, Marie......as well as my sister, Marybeth, and I. (However, we are not lucky enough to have the weather or skill to grow Calla Lillies!)