Chapter Four: ‘Mary Lannon Meets Paddy Fanning: June, 1909
The first time Mary Lannon met Paddy Fanning from Kilkenny was at the 'Waterford Fair' in the summer of 1909. Mary was then a very attractive sixteen year old, going on seventeen. Two thoughts preoccupied her at the time, marriage and motherhood. Mary had earlier that day been given the task of looking after three of her younger siblings for the afternoon while their mother visited a poorly brother in the Waterford hospital.
Mary had left school one and a half years earlier, but instead of seeking full time work outside the family home, she instead continued in her mini mother’s role of looking after her young siblings who were yet not old enough to attend school. She also took in washing and ironing from the neighbours to earn a few extra shillings. This part-time work provided Mary with some pin money, and the fact that she was able to perform this additional work from her parent’s house, enabled her to keep a watchful eye on her younger siblings simultaneously. Mary would also pick spuds and make hay during the season.
'The Waterford Fair' was an annual event attended by over twenty thousand visitors. While many a farmer showed their cattle at the fair, there were breeders galore of all manner of sheep and dogs. The anxious owners were seeking blue ribbons for their pets, along with the vegetable growers, who were wanting to take home the Silver Cup for the largest specimen in show. There was even one huge tent given over to the judging of bread cakes and homemade jams and honey made by the fair hands of Waterford women.
Part way through the afternoon, six-year-old Patrick Lannon, who loved dogs, slipped into the tent next-door showing the different breeds of hounds when Mary was not looking. One minute she was holding Patrick in one hand and his five-year-old sister Teresa in the other, when she spotted some jars of honey being sold off. Mary knew that her mother loved honey and decided to buy her a jar as a surprise.
When Mary next looked, she quickly realised that her brother Patrick had slipped her hand. For the next ten minutes, Mary frantically searched for her young brother and started to become frightened after her search of three nearby tents proved futile.
When Mary next looked, she quickly realised that her brother Patrick had slipped her hand. For the next ten minutes, Mary frantically searched for her young brother and started to become frightened after her search of three nearby tents proved futile.
Just as Mary started to look around for some Marshall or Garda for assistance, she spotted her brother Patrick holding the hand of a male stranger. Patrick seemed to have been crying, and for a moment, Mary feared that the stranger might have tried to abduct the boy.
She quickly ran towards her brother calling out his name. “Patrick…Patrick, over here. I’m here, Patrick!” The stranger released Patrick from his grasp and allowed him to run towards his older sister. Expecting the stranger to run off, ‘having been found out,’ Mary was surprised to see the man approach her. He gently smiled reassuringly to see her and Patrick reunited.
When young Patrick ran into the arms of his older sister, Mary first started to embrace him and then quickly found herself scolding the boy for having left her side. “You silly boy,” Mary said to Patrick in a stern voice, adding, “Don’t you ever do that again! You had me worried sick. Why did you go off with that strange man, anything could have happened? You might have finished up stolen and sold on to the travellers or you could even have been killed and thrown down some abandoned well!”
When Mary had finished berating her young brother for his foolishness, the strange man approached closer and started to explain.
When Mary had finished berating her young brother for his foolishness, the strange man approached closer and started to explain.
”I saw the boy in yonder tent. He was on the verge of tears,” he told Mary. “He muttered that he’d lost Mary, which I presume to be yourself. I was simply staying with him to stop him coming to any harm until we found you again. Now that he’s found you, I’ll be away. I know where I’m not wanted!”
Mary felt foolish and ungrateful for her initial response to the kind stranger. “Please accept my apology if I came across hostile,” she said adding, “it’s just that he was entrusted to my charge for the afternoon by my mother and…..well…she’d never have forgiven me if any harm had come to him as a result of my negligence.”
“It was nothing,” the stranger replied after graciously receiving the fair maiden’s apology. “By the way, my name is Paddy Fanning and I’m pleased to meet you.”
“And I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance also, Paddy; I’m Mary Lannon from Clonmel.”
Mary felt foolish and ungrateful for her initial response to the kind stranger. “Please accept my apology if I came across hostile,” she said adding, “it’s just that he was entrusted to my charge for the afternoon by my mother and…..well…she’d never have forgiven me if any harm had come to him as a result of my negligence.”
“It was nothing,” the stranger replied after graciously receiving the fair maiden’s apology. “By the way, my name is Paddy Fanning and I’m pleased to meet you.”
“And I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance also, Paddy; I’m Mary Lannon from Clonmel.”
As Mary spoke to Paddy, she looked him over with the eyes of a young girl in search of a good husband and father.
The stranger was around five feet and eight inches tall and was quite muscular, with strong arms, hairy chest and wide shoulders. His face was ruggedly handsome and he sported a beard. Mary judged him to be in his early twenties. Overall, Mary thought him wholesome in every way imaginable.
The stranger was around five feet and eight inches tall and was quite muscular, with strong arms, hairy chest and wide shoulders. His face was ruggedly handsome and he sported a beard. Mary judged him to be in his early twenties. Overall, Mary thought him wholesome in every way imaginable.
“Walk with us,” Mary invited the stranger. “I have to buy the children some afternoon tea and buns, and the least I can do is to share the pot with you.”
Paddy Fanning agreed to join them for tea and buns and before the afternoon had ended and evening approached, Mary and Patrick each believed that someone had entered their lives that day who would stay a part of it for many years to come. Paddy walked Mary and the children back to the Clock Tower where they caught the bus to Clonmel.
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As Mary and her younger siblings travelled back home to Clonmel that evening on the bus, the children looked out the window while young Teresa slept on Mary’s shoulder. Throughout the two-hour journey, Mary thought sweet thoughts about Paddy whom she had met that afternoon. Mary was a strong believer in destiny being decided by the angels in heaven and fate alighting on one when least expected. She sensed her destiny in the making. She felt an intervention in her life, bringing her and Paddy into contact with each other that afternoon. Something inside told her that Paddy was the one to father the children she badly wanted and that he would make a grand husband.
As for the twenty-two-year old Kilkenny man, when Paddy left the Waterford Show that afternoon, he also sensed he had met the girl he would one day marry. Though Mary was a mere sixteen-year-old slip of a girl, her overall looks, speech, mannerisms and the confident way she handled herself made her appear more mature in years than she actually was. Paddy had assessed her to be eighteen, going on nineteen.
Paddy had given Mary his Kilkenny address, just in case she fancied dropping him a line at some future date. Not having provided him with her parent’s address in Clonmel, essentially placed Mary in the driver’s seat regarding the possibility of any future contact between the two of them. This made Mary feel more in control and gave her time to make up her mind, while Paddy on the other hand, knew that if he heard from Mary again, it would be of her choosing and not his!
During the next month, Paddy held many feelings of doubt and uncertainty as Mary struggled to do what was right for all concerned. While Mary considered her decision whether or not to make contact with Paddy again, the Kilkenny man eventually resigned himself to the belief that she had simply forgotten him. One way or another, both could not get the other out of their mind.
Paddy had given Mary his Kilkenny address, just in case she fancied dropping him a line at some future date. Not having provided him with her parent’s address in Clonmel, essentially placed Mary in the driver’s seat regarding the possibility of any future contact between the two of them. This made Mary feel more in control and gave her time to make up her mind, while Paddy on the other hand, knew that if he heard from Mary again, it would be of her choosing and not his!
During the next month, Paddy held many feelings of doubt and uncertainty as Mary struggled to do what was right for all concerned. While Mary considered her decision whether or not to make contact with Paddy again, the Kilkenny man eventually resigned himself to the belief that she had simply forgotten him. One way or another, both could not get the other out of their mind.
They had met briefly, but once, and had shared a pot of tea and hardly spoken, yet upon parting, each had left an indelible impression upon the other that this meeting would not be their last. Both Mary and Paddy felt the sensation of having touched each other’s soul. It was a touch that simply would not go away after the couple had parted.
