Ah janey.

This comes, notably, after Meta's announcement that it will lay off 8,000 workers next month.

Heads up. If you’re one of the many many people I’ve tried to convince to come to Belfast for the book festival, now’s the time to make that dream come true. The programme is live and it is cracking belfastbookfestival.com/festival-pro...

"How a squeaky side gate became the straw that broke the camel's back, leading to multiple homicides on a quiet suburban road."

Yes, his grandfather was same in Dundalk and then in 1911 he was an apprentice. He eventually went to Birmingham and worked for British Rail (no work in Ireland). The family stayed in Westport but both my mum's siblings then emigrated there.

My grandfather was Gerald Collins, in Westport in 1926. His siblings were Mollie (Mary), Norah, and Constance in the industrial school in 1901, convent 1911. His other sister Eva was a scullery maid in 1911, married Nicholas O'Rourke in 1923, can't find any in 1926. And James who moved to Paris.

The Paris transformation continues, unhindered by the culture of excuses, and self-sabotaging election results, that we’ve seen in too many other cities.

Three of my granny's brothers became priests and two then left! One was on a mission in Argentina, where he met Sally. That's how he ended up living in Louisville Kentucky! I've found three great aunts who were "visitors" at a convent in 1911, but not sure what happened to them though.

Do you know were they in a small town or village? It's Sligo somewhere?

Interesting. This has domestic and factory hand out of work. Plus some fish and fruit dealers.

Came across this Boarding House on Francis Street, with two older women (owner and servant), some older men and then around 20 women boarders all between 20 and 40, many of whom are "out of work for xx years".

Assume it's a brothel?

It looks to me that it was only the youngest who had Irish. Which may be because of her age. The Irish state had only been founded recently and so presumably Irish was then taught in all primary schools. The others may not have learned it.

Yes! I found my grandad in Trim visiting his grandad. Or they might have been staying there as his dad was out of work. No idea!

Vraiment!

It's addictive! I found other family there but no sign of these three.

ha, yes, Neuilly is dead posh. My second cousin, James' grandson went to Lycee there. He's my age and I went to a party with him and his mates in George V hotel in 1991. They described themselves as the "Haute Bourgeoisie".

magdalenelaundrylimerick.ie/about.html

Meanwhile, James Collins, the youngest, somehow gets to stay in school, and eventually moves to Paris, teaches English, marries Tante Madeleine and ends up living in a fancy apartment near the Arc du Triomphe.

My granddad was a railway engineer, eventually having to move to Birmingham to get work, while leaving my granny and the kids in Westport.

My three great aunts were in the Clare Street Convent/ Magdalene Laundry in Limerick in 1911.

Having been in Armagh Industrial School in 1901.

But they are entered as "scholars" and "visitors".
In between the nuns and the "laundresses" and "seamstresses", in other words: inmates.

That's so awful.

The three girls are still together in 1911, but now at a Limerick convent (I discovered this morning). But not nuns (yet?)... While Eva was a scullery maid at a Baronet's big house, Castlebellingham.

Census 1901.

You wonder who decided who went where...Constance, aged 5, in the industrial school with her two sisters, Mollie and Norah aged 10 and 9, but Eva, aged 8 with the grandparents (with my grandad). And then the baby is with an elderly great aunt.

Oh wow, that would be amazing to get your hands on!

Death certificate Alice Collins

Trying to trace my grandfather's scattered siblings. The family split apart because their mother Alice was dead at the age of 29, from childbirth in 1897, having had six children since she got married in 1889.

I've just found the two girls and another greataunt I never knew about! Who has the same name as my aunt: Constance Collins. They were all "visitors" at a convent in Limerick aged 20,18,16. Did they just funnel all the unwanted girls with no family to convents? All quite grim.

In the same census, my great grandmother is also motherless, because her father had banished her mother back to England suspecting her of an affair. But he had the means to hire a housekeeper and kept the kids, because he was the headmaster of an industrial school.

I think the same happened with my great aunts. The mother died in childbirth. The six kids were split up. In 1901, 2 eldest (10,8) were in the industrial school, my granddad and his sister Eva with grandparents, the baby with a great aunt.

oh just noticed that one!

German film eyes Oscar - The World from PRX A Cold War drama about East Germany has romance, intrigue and the Stasi as the bad guys: all the elements for a successful movie export.

Oh that must have been amazing. I really love her too. She was also great in Hedda.

I wrote a small article about Barbara a few years back.

theworld.org/stories/2016...