Let me introduce myself, my name is Toni Breen and I hail from Castleconnell.
My connection to Doon, Co. Limerick, goes back a long way. My Granny Breen was from Doon, she was Margaret Hayes, a daughter of Hayes 'Manager', a name give as my Great-grandfather was the creamery manager, and to this day we have a large extended family of cousins in and around Doon. My Granny Breen became a Primary School Teacher in the 1930's, and was posted to Herbertstown National School, where she met and married my Grandfather, Jimmy Breen from Caherelly. Their only daughter Lilian Breen entered Doon Convent as a postulant in the early 1960's. I vividly remember visiting the Convent in the 70's with my Granny to see Lilian. We were always treated like royalty, brought off to the kitchen by the older nuns to see if we couldn't find a few extra biscuits, and left out to run in the Convent gardens while Granny and Lilian had a chat.
My connection to Doon, Co. Limerick, goes back a long way. My Granny Breen was from Doon, she was Margaret Hayes, a daughter of Hayes 'Manager', a name give as my Great-grandfather was the creamery manager, and to this day we have a large extended family of cousins in and around Doon. My Granny Breen became a Primary School Teacher in the 1930's, and was posted to Herbertstown National School, where she met and married my Grandfather, Jimmy Breen from Caherelly. Their only daughter Lilian Breen entered Doon Convent as a postulant in the early 1960's. I vividly remember visiting the Convent in the 70's with my Granny to see Lilian. We were always treated like royalty, brought off to the kitchen by the older nuns to see if we couldn't find a few extra biscuits, and left out to run in the Convent gardens while Granny and Lilian had a chat.
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| My dad Willie, Auntie Lilian, my Granny Breen, and my Uncles Paddy and Seamus at Doon Convent. |
I have recently returned to education, studying for a Masters in Art & Design Education, and grasped the opportunity to be involved in the Artist in Residency Program in Doon. I felt at ease as I walked through the Convent Primary School yard, adjacent to the very same garden I used to play in as a child with my sisters.
I think my Granny Breen and Auntie Lilian would be happy that I'm back in Doon....
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| My dad Willy, Granny Breen, Auntie Lilian, Grandfather, Uncles Sheamus and Paddy at Doon Convent in the mid 1960's |
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