Chapter Seven: ‘Wedding Bells on the Horizon’
Over the next three months, Mary and Paddy met most Sundays in Waterford. The couple found it more difficult to keep the frequency of their meetings fortnightly, when all each did when they were apart, was to think about the other.
When Mary’s eighteenth birthday came around on Thursday, December 8th, 1910, she was happier than her father had ever known her to be. About three weeks earlier, Nancy had asked Mary outright if she had a young man whom she saw. Her father was in earshot at the time when Mary replied.
“I’ve been seeing a Kilkenny man called Paddy Fanning for the best part of the past year now, whenever I can,” Mary replied coyly, adding, “On a Sunday afternoon. We meet up in Waterford and usually go walking or on a cycle ride.”
“I’m pleased for you, Mary,” Nancy replied. Nancy rested on her arms as she looked across at Mary, silently inviting her to tell more. “Me and your dad had wondered how you spent most Sunday afternoons and seeing the smile on your face when you walked back in the door on your return, we half guessed it was a young man who was responsible for putting the gladness there.”
“I wouldn’t particularly call Paddy a young man. I’d say he was more ‘a man’s man,’ much more than a young man,” Mary replied, adding, “He’s twenty-three!”
“What does he do for a living? What’s his job?” Mary’s father asked.
“He’s just a labourer like everyone else,” Mary replied curtly, adding, “He works in a foundry and takes any manual work that offers him a decent wage from one week to the next. Like the rest of us in these times, he has to take what comes along. Beggars can’t be choosers you know!”
“If this is as serious as it sounds to be, Mary, then you’d better bring your young man around for tea soon so we can give him a proper look over,” her father said. “I just hope he’s not too old for you, lass.”
Mary could not believe her ears. She had been trying to keep Paddy her guilty secret for the best part of a year and now she had to contend with her father wanting him to meet the family circus and even suggesting that Paddy take afternoon tea with them!
“I’ve been seeing a Kilkenny man called Paddy Fanning for the best part of the past year now, whenever I can,” Mary replied coyly, adding, “On a Sunday afternoon. We meet up in Waterford and usually go walking or on a cycle ride.”
“I’m pleased for you, Mary,” Nancy replied. Nancy rested on her arms as she looked across at Mary, silently inviting her to tell more. “Me and your dad had wondered how you spent most Sunday afternoons and seeing the smile on your face when you walked back in the door on your return, we half guessed it was a young man who was responsible for putting the gladness there.”
“I wouldn’t particularly call Paddy a young man. I’d say he was more ‘a man’s man,’ much more than a young man,” Mary replied, adding, “He’s twenty-three!”
“What does he do for a living? What’s his job?” Mary’s father asked.
“He’s just a labourer like everyone else,” Mary replied curtly, adding, “He works in a foundry and takes any manual work that offers him a decent wage from one week to the next. Like the rest of us in these times, he has to take what comes along. Beggars can’t be choosers you know!”
“If this is as serious as it sounds to be, Mary, then you’d better bring your young man around for tea soon so we can give him a proper look over,” her father said. “I just hope he’s not too old for you, lass.”
Mary could not believe her ears. She had been trying to keep Paddy her guilty secret for the best part of a year and now she had to contend with her father wanting him to meet the family circus and even suggesting that Paddy take afternoon tea with them!
Later that day, Nancy and Mary’s father approached the children hand in hand to announce some important news he felt they should be aware of, concerning himself and Nancy.
“Listen now!” Harry Lannon said as he looked at his family assembled before him. “I know that it hasn’t been a full year since your Ma passed away, yet, I know that she is looking down on all ten of you now, wishing you well. Nancy here and me ... what I mean to say is that.....given me and Nancy rub along well, and as she’s now more or less part of the house fittings, we thought we’d better make everything proper and above board, so to speak. We’ve decided to get married next spring after a suitable period of mourning has passed for your dear mum. I know that Nancy loves you all, and it’s our hope that you can all come to love and accept her as your new mother.”
Upon hearing the news, Mary was the first to congratulate Nancy and dad. “I’m so pleased for you both” she said, “So, pleased.”
“Listen now!” Harry Lannon said as he looked at his family assembled before him. “I know that it hasn’t been a full year since your Ma passed away, yet, I know that she is looking down on all ten of you now, wishing you well. Nancy here and me ... what I mean to say is that.....given me and Nancy rub along well, and as she’s now more or less part of the house fittings, we thought we’d better make everything proper and above board, so to speak. We’ve decided to get married next spring after a suitable period of mourning has passed for your dear mum. I know that Nancy loves you all, and it’s our hope that you can all come to love and accept her as your new mother.”
Upon hearing the news, Mary was the first to congratulate Nancy and dad. “I’m so pleased for you both” she said, “So, pleased.”
That day proved to be one of the happiest in Mary’s life. She immediately sat down and wrote Paddy a letter telling him about her father and Nancy’s plans to marry, and about them wanting to meet him. Mary suggested that he try to get off from work early on her birthday of December 8th and catch the bus to Clonmel to meet up with her and her family. She said they would discuss the details next Sunday when they met up in Waterford as usual.
As Mary slept that night, she thought about her father’s announcement of his spring marriage to Nancy. This sudden change in family dynamics affected Mary every bit as much as it affected any other family member, perhaps even more! With Nancy being prepared to take on her father as his new wife, Mary knew that this meant Nancy was willing to take on her nine siblings also!
For the first time in her life, everything Mary had ever wanted and dreamed of seemed possible; everything was falling into place and at last, all seemed to be within her grasp. She slept more soundly and content that night than she had ever slept and the world outside appeared to be a much happier place to wake up to the following morning.
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As Mary slept that night, she thought about her father’s announcement of his spring marriage to Nancy. This sudden change in family dynamics affected Mary every bit as much as it affected any other family member, perhaps even more! With Nancy being prepared to take on her father as his new wife, Mary knew that this meant Nancy was willing to take on her nine siblings also!
For the first time in her life, everything Mary had ever wanted and dreamed of seemed possible; everything was falling into place and at last, all seemed to be within her grasp. She slept more soundly and content that night than she had ever slept and the world outside appeared to be a much happier place to wake up to the following morning.
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The next Sunday when Mary and Paddy met up, they stayed local to the centre of Waterford as they walked and talked like two animated teenagers planning next year’s holidays. Fastened to the back of Paddy’s bicycle was a small brown travelling suitcase.
After an hour or so, Paddy put his hand in his pocket and after extracting something, he showed Mary a ring. Looking at the plain gold band in Paddy’s hand, Mary asked him, “What’s that for?”
“Instead of walking around for four hours in the cold air, Mary, or drinking pot after pot of tea, I thought … you know … I thought we would be cosier in a boarding house for the afternoon. I‘ve got the money together to rent a room and we could pretend to be man and wife. We wouldn’t have to stay overnight and could slip out quietly when it was time to catch your bus. What do think, Mary? Try it on for size.”
At first, Mary felt like giving Paddy a piece of her mind for seeming to take her for granted, but then quickly relented, as she did not wish to spoil their day. Paddy retrieved the brown suitcase from the back of his bicycle and gave Mary the plain gold ring to put on her wedding finger.
“Instead of walking around for four hours in the cold air, Mary, or drinking pot after pot of tea, I thought … you know … I thought we would be cosier in a boarding house for the afternoon. I‘ve got the money together to rent a room and we could pretend to be man and wife. We wouldn’t have to stay overnight and could slip out quietly when it was time to catch your bus. What do think, Mary? Try it on for size.”
At first, Mary felt like giving Paddy a piece of her mind for seeming to take her for granted, but then quickly relented, as she did not wish to spoil their day. Paddy retrieved the brown suitcase from the back of his bicycle and gave Mary the plain gold ring to put on her wedding finger.
Paddy knocked on the door of the first boarding house they passed which had a vacancy sign in the window. As they waited for the door to open, Mary stood anxiously behind him, partially hidden from view, as he addressed the property owner.
“We want a double room for the night,’ Paddy said. ‘Me and my wife.”
The woman looked at Mary standing on the step below Paddy. Then, after telling Paddy the price for the night, which he paid up front, she showed the couple to their room. As they climbed the steps and she spoke with Paddy, Mary felt the proprietor’s eyes having a second suspicious look at her. It was at that moment when Mary realised that without a ring on her finger and at least one small suitcase purporting to carry overnight luggage, that entry to a double room in this boarding establishment would not have proved possible. It became apparent that Paddy had anticipated her acceptance all along.
“We want a double room for the night,’ Paddy said. ‘Me and my wife.”
The woman looked at Mary standing on the step below Paddy. Then, after telling Paddy the price for the night, which he paid up front, she showed the couple to their room. As they climbed the steps and she spoke with Paddy, Mary felt the proprietor’s eyes having a second suspicious look at her. It was at that moment when Mary realised that without a ring on her finger and at least one small suitcase purporting to carry overnight luggage, that entry to a double room in this boarding establishment would not have proved possible. It became apparent that Paddy had anticipated her acceptance all along.
During the next two hours, having engaged in as much foreplay as Mary would allow, the couple eventually made love. Mary had initially seemed more interested in cuddling and kissing than going the whole way, but then found herself giving in. They made love once that afternoon. While Paddy seemed highly satisfied to have gone all the way again, Mary felt the experience to have been more mechanical as opposed to one of intimacy.
Having spoken of wedding plans earlier that afternoon with Paddy and having allowed herself to be taken by him, she now spiritually regarded her Kilkenny man as her husband in the eyes of God.
When Mary boarded the bus back to Clonmel later that day, she felt so happy with her life and future hopes. The next time they would meet would be on the evening of her eighteenth birthday when Paddy would visit her family home and join the rest of Mary’s family in birthday celebrations.
Having spoken of wedding plans earlier that afternoon with Paddy and having allowed herself to be taken by him, she now spiritually regarded her Kilkenny man as her husband in the eyes of God.
When Mary boarded the bus back to Clonmel later that day, she felt so happy with her life and future hopes. The next time they would meet would be on the evening of her eighteenth birthday when Paddy would visit her family home and join the rest of Mary’s family in birthday celebrations.
Mary had been on the bus almost an hour when suddenly she realised that she still wore the thin gold ring upon her wedding finger. As she removed it and placed it inside her coat pocket, she smiled at the secret activities of her Sunday afternoon out. She now began to see herself as being a woman in every sense of the word, instead of a slip of a girl.
