Stories from Granny 4

(Dated: 26 Sept. 03)

"Today I think I will take you to meet your Great-Great-Great Grandfather as I knew him, heard of him, and some of the personal interaction I had with him. He is called Edward McKinny and came from a wee four cottage village in the coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The village was called Bony-Before and is a little way outside Cerrickfergus and Cerrickfergus is where my mother and father's (family) families originally came from.

My mother's name is Elizabeth Latimor Johnson and she was born in Cerrickfergus in a large terrace house opposite the Castle. Cerrickfergus is where King William, Prince of Orange landed and went on to fight and win the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 which enabled Protestants to live in Ireland in defiance of the Church of Rome. . . .

Granda McKinny married Jane Parker and at some time later left Cerrick and came to live in Mervue Street. His whole family must have come with him and his wife because they were all part of my life by the time my memory registers family and time.

I didn't meet my great grand mother nor have I seen any photos of either of them, but stories were told when we got together which was often. The one story of Granny McKinny isn't very kind to her memory was always told.

She was a born-again Christian and didn't allow dancing or singing as they were a sin. Drinking of strong drink was out and when movie pictures come along it was out too. Except Granda loved the movies and when talkies came along, he decided to hear Al Jolson sing 'Mammy' and he slipped away to see the show.

Somehow Granny found out and when Granda came out, she ran at him and started hitting him with her handbag, and when the strap broke, she started in with her umbrella. He waited a minute and then picked her up and carried her home. I passed the Cinema often and thought of the pair of them all those years ago.

They had a family of three girls and two boys."