In 1991 i went on my first holiday with Maura to Skull West Cork; (holidaying with maura was to become an annually event). It was the year my first son David was born and i brought him to my native home with my wife Carolien, her mum Maura and Maura's sisters Ann and Bridget. We had a fabulous holiday traveling to Garnish Island and was delighted with all the help looking after David from Maura, Ann and Bridget. Deeply missed but never forgotten

Joclyn

14 years ago

Thankyou for sharing karl and yes i agree deeply missed but never forgotten

When i went to Ireland for a visit. Maura made me feel so at home. I remember how she had stocked up her cuboards, Fridge and freesers full. Her daughter Caroline told me that she has carried all the groceries from the shops and walked with them home. i couldn't believe that anyone would walk with bags that heavy. Anyway the point is she made me feel so welcomed and loved. She went out of her way for her family and was so independent. She didn't rely on anyone for help she got up and did it herself. She would do anything for anyone who needed help. You were able to tell her private things and she would never tell anyone what you had told her. I feel very privilliged to have her as my mother in law. SHE WAS THE BEST MOTHER IN LAW YOU COULD EVER HAVE.

Maura and Paddy began to date when he returned to Dublin and she loved nothing more than dancing. She would dance with her brother Seamus (Seamus was a good friend of Paddy's growning up), and they both took professional lessons and she was good, she was very good and so light on her feet. Maura, Paddy, Seamus and Kathleen (his now wife) would go "dancing" every week. One evening while at the cinema on a date with Paddy, she turned and said to him "why do you keep staring at me, its unnerving" to which he replied " i just want to look at my future wife"!! The rest as they say is history

Maura was born in Dublin "inner" City and lived there until around the age of 8years old when father destiny cast his dice and her family moved to the Dublin 5 suburbes. Her family home street number was 59 and directly oppositive her home was number 82, where a quite 9year old Patrick (Paddy) Stanley resided with his family. During her childhood years and into her teens she never really payed too much attention to the fella across the street, only to refer to him on occasion as, as he began to grow, as "that long drink of water looking for a glass". When he (Paddy) moved to England for work in the late 50's Maura met up with him at a mutual friends wedding in the UK. Now 20 something, handsome 6ft 1inch man, was very protective of his neighbour and innocent not well travelled 4ft 11.5inch (or as Maura would always say when asked her height, "I am 4ft 11inches and a little bit, and the little bit is my own business") anyway something changed - Maura came back to Dublin followed in the preceeding couple of months by "the long drink of water looking for a glass". The dice of destiny was cast once again!

Joclyn

14 years ago

Very Romantic. Thanks Caroline for sharing these precious stories.

Maura was very creative and developed her own designs when knitting whether it was "tradition irish aran knitwear" with a "maura twist to it" or the more highly fashionable knitwear. At one stage during her life she had her Irish Aran knitwear exported to the American market - not bad for a self thought lady!. She also enjoying baking and her traditional christmas pudding - the ingredients of which were never shared and fiercly guarded!! She had a wicked sense of humour and her laugher was infectious and would fill a room. She was above all highly proud and proctective of her loves ones and her family was the first and most important aspect of her total life!

Joclyn

14 years ago

Very True. Thanks for sharing