In 1933 at the age of 14, Bridie Kearns got her first paying job in the town of Balla, in County Mayo, Ireland. It was early summer and the McEllin’s daughter, Mrs. O’Grady was home from County Clare with her husband and their three young children. They were in great need of a nanny. The McEllin Family owned the largest shop in town. It was a one-stop shopping store in those days and you could buy all your necessities under one roof. The McEllin’s were the ‘big shots’ in the town. They were the upper crust of the Balla society, the high and mighty city folk who wanted a simple country girl to take care of their grandkids.

Well, young Bridie got the position but the McEllin’s and O’Grady’s got much more. Bridie, being the oldest daughter and the second oldest of the 13 Kearns kids had a wide array of skills. She could sew, knit, clean, cook, bake, organize activities and take great care of these new children. Her job was to take care of these children twenty four hours a day seven days a week. Bridie proved to be an excellent nanny. That being said, she never forgot her mother and father and her siblings back up at Fargureens. At every chance, she would squirrel away an orange or an apple at mealtime to pass on to her brothers or sisters as they came into town. If she didn’t see them coming in the Balla Road, they would toss a pebble up to her bedroom window at the McEllin Residence. Bridie would come to the window and drop down the fruit and some pennies which were received with great delight. A penny went far in those days. It got the lucky recipient a handful of sweets at the nearby store.

Bridie was away from her home but was always thinking of her mom and finding ways to help. On her spare time, she started knitting for her mother. Underclothes, socks and long johns were all knitted in those days. Ouch! Well, soon after getting the job Bridie’s boss discovered her knitting talents. They supplied her with wool and requested her to knit outfits for the children under her care, thus putting a stop to her family’s needs. Bridie as I said before had many skills and ‘slight of hand’ was one of her secret talents. Unbeknownst to the McEllin’s, Bridie kept knitting for her own family. When in the eye of the McEllin’s or the O’Grady’s, she would knit for them but as soon as she was out of their scrutinizing view, she would retrieve her own knitting project from under the mattress of the baby pram and resume knitting. (Ah, what a trooper!)

At the end of the summer Bridie was so well liked that the O’Grady family asked her to return with them to County Clare and continue her duty as the nanny. Bridie sadly accepted. Having a job and being able to help support her family was of utmost importance. Bridie had to leave the familiar surroundings of Balla, Mayo and move to Clare. Although miles away, Bridie sent her meager salary home to her mother each week in the mail. Bridie knew so well that her parents had many a mouth to feed and that they all were depending on her to help. Fortunately for Bridie, the O’Grady Family returned to Balla each Christmas and spent the summers there as well. Bridie worked for this family for three years and during that time was able to visit with her family on their trips to Balla.

Bridie enjoyed her job as nanny. But as we know life has many bumps and turns. Bridie had to move on. She kept in touch with the O’Grady’s for many years. Bridie Kearns’ next position would lead her across the Atlantic to New York… but that is another story to tell.

This story was told to me by my mother, Bridie Kearns Doherty many years ago.

Written by Josephine McTague - October 9, 2007