One of my big bucket list achieved. Croagh Patrick, in the middle of Photographing a wedding. I got a call, did I want to go to Croagh Patrick, the next morn at 5.40. Something I have always been meaning to do. Well, it was tough, I will admit my lack of fitness, didn't help. but by hook or by crook I was getting to the top regardless. their was drama, one poor gent was airlifted to hospital, a few slipped and fell on the juttery stony slopes. The loose stone made it all the more tougher. The toughest part of climb was the last push to the top. Was steeper, but very worthwhile and a sense of achievement when you do make to the top. The imagery I got, I wish it shows my vision of the tough but rewarding climb.

I have posted new Photography onto my Online Printing Shop via Smug Mug. Take a look and pic your fancy, new pricelist and range of product available

A fashion shoot I done before with a very top line range of old brought into modern times.  BallyBoy Designs bring you traditional tweed and sill, to give a classic timeless style. that very much belongs todays Style.
​With local lady to County Longford, Abbeylara, Siobhan Quinn. great to hear they are getting recognition Ballyboy Designs deserves. was great to be part of couple of shoots with them. Have to mention the very very talented and of national fame,  Milliner designer Wendy Louise Knight. whom also happens to have resided in County Longford.
​You can check Wendy Louise Knights designs and may I add award winning designs, link below  
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Philomena Croghan

Swinford Mayo, Longford originally,  Clomboney, Old Ballinalee road. Clomboney Church was across the road at the time. A Tully man makes headstones there now.  but majority of her life in England. Mussell Hill North Hill London England. I schooled in Clomboney National school Lost my father at an early age of 11. I ran off to England when just before I was 14 years of age. I got work straight away, with nuns who ran ''Irish Sister Of Charity, a hospice, St Joseph's. Told them I was 17 years of age, did my training as a general nurse when I was actually 17. up until I was 20 years of age, then I went onto to study more. studied Forensics, and psychiatry. you had a choice, after general nursing if you wanted to study more. Many choose midwifery. I wanted a challenge I was interested in, took two more years or more when I studying, and working and also had a family. I married and remarried later on in life having 5 children in all. Delia with me here today, she was a great help, when I was working studying she helped with the house chores and getting the others ready, either for bed or for school in morning, depending on my work hours. my other kids are Lesley, Hazel, Rishi and Sashi.

Hazel has three kids of her own now, Dean Ben & Jake. Lesley has three also, Katie, Jack & Tom. Delia has three too, Daniel, Rhys & Kiera. and out the boys Rishsi has one son Max.

My parents, Mel & Elizabeth 'Lee' Croghan. My mother went to Boston, Masschetus, when she was young came back when she was 8 years old. she came home alone, having gone over with both parents. unsure what happened, my grandparents, Katie Lee, and grandfather I only know was a Farrell.

My parents had five kids too, myself and Molly, Kathleen, Bridie , Peggy 'Margarette, and one brother William. William is missing, lost contact when our mother passed away. he used to be in London, but after that unknown, either he started a new life for himself which he was capable of. thinking either Australia or America.

My work  was in Whittington, Royal Free Hampstead, Hospice Fran Barnet. My skills, got me interested jobs to say the least. I was alongside a psychiatrist, when assessor , people at the magistrates courts, we waited in the bowels for the courts, to see if people were genuine or not. a lot were needing a bed, meaning help psychiatry help. There was some always trying to pull a fast one. saying they could hear voices and such. but a golden rule was after an hour, you could tell, they were trying to pull a fast one. and some got very aggressive, a few times 'some actually tried to strangle me, another try to stab me. my main work was hospital,  also community nursing, follow up care on discharged patients. I also had a suicide group, a group that tried to do it. was very interesting, I actually had to say very little, Id just start them going with first question, why do you wish to not I've in this life. and they all helped each other. one would say, I wanted to not live because my wife left me, next person would say that's a silly reason, and so on, until they would all see the futility of their original thoughts, and help each other and move on. I retired in 2007. but I haven't stopped, I am president of St Vincent De Paul's in Mayo, I organise at least five major conferences. The last three years, I have helped a young student, whom was in a bad way with many issues, but has come on leaps and bounds since. I moved to Swinford ten years ago, I sold my home and set up in Ireland. I have one aim, and that's how we met. I am looking for my father's family. I know my mothers side, but not Croghan side of County Longford. He was a big man six foot five, he  also worked as a door man in the infamous Galtee Moore Cricklewood, made famous by a Brendan Shine, who sang , where did you meet her, I met her at the Galtee Moore. He played in band also Buffalo band In Camben Town. he could play Tambourine, sing, violin. He was blacksmith in County Longford. I went to cemetery Sunday in Ballinalee recently , I got talking to a Tommy Ward, who knew my father. I owe it to him to find his family. grandparents, Catherine 'O'Brian' Croghan, and Arthur Croghan had 11 kids, one of which was my father. this was a time when in 1875, they started to register, people and kids, two of their kids weren't registered, they had them before, the new law came in. all his siblings are as follows, Elizabeth, Mary, Emely, William, Arthur, Albert, Charles, Agnes, and Caroline.

Never forget the early days, growing up on a bog road. but I loved it, a lot wouldn't understand or let a lone do it. we had no electricity, we made our own food. which I might add I am doing again now. sometimes we went to school with no shoes. remember having boots though, Hobnail boots, and I was fond of kicking things. so my dad being a blacksmith, bent around a tin piece on the tip of my boots. there is still some gates around the are my father worked and as a blacksmith.

I taught my kids from a young age the benefits of learning house chores, also to cooking, from apple tarts to Curry, and also to grow their own. I remember my mother had a book, that was 3 4 inches thick, and all recipes for spuds. can you imagine, wish I had that book, that went missing.

I also taught my kids the value of talking, speaking the truth always to be honest. but talk to me, no matter what time of day or night, and no matter the subject, from sex to cooking, no boundaries. Delia, whom was sitting beside us, jumped in with, ''I was, out on a night out, listening to Wolfe tones, mums farewell party. my drink got spiked, I could sense it, my throat first then my arms and legs, I couldn't move them. but thank God my mother came into the bar, all I could do was move my eyes, my mother knew straight away something was wrong. Philomena said ''you could see she was in a bad way, I had to bring her to the car, she literally couldn't move her legs arms. found out there was a date rape drug in her body from test results. Delia went on to say ''for five days, it was with me, slowly went, it was terrifying.

Philomena went on to say ''many things I passed onto my kids, like if there was something I couldn't get them now, I would say, do not steal, If I cant get them now, I will at another time. and if you cant respect other you cannot respect yourself, and I have always said live everyday as if it is your last.

if you know of anybody that may know, the family she is looking for. please contact and I will pass on details. very descriptive details of names and family and area. pass on and share, lets reunite Philomena with her fathers family.

​Eamonn Greene
Longford Town, Formerly form Letterkenny Donegal, where he grew up. Parents Cassie (Bryson) and father Edward.
Schooled in Lurgybrack school Sligo road Letterkenny County Donegal. worked in the port, swilly lock, where he moved coal out from boats onto land using Guy machine. Wasn't a big fan because he was missing all the football with the hours he worked. moved to Glasgow Scotland, in the 50
's where he went straight into work. the work was plentiful, I worked on many building sites, before I got work with Singer Sewing machine factory in Clydebank. I stayed in East end of Glasgow, Ester House. not unlike where I live now, where the big green is triangular, Easter house was square. I married a young lady who is still with me, I had met her over there, a Drumlish lady 'Kathleen (MC Quaid) Greene.
we had three kids all grown now, we loved life their, as you would imagine there was many mixed religious backgrounds, but we never had any trouble. yes said Kathleen 'you could leave your home go into shopping or something, leave your clothes hanging out and if it rained you would think disaster. on arriving home at first you wonder obviously where was your clothes when you didn't seen them where you left them hanging, the neighbours had them took in and only that, but have them taken in and folded neatly. I met Eamonn at the dances, Irish dance clubs and halls. there was at least three four near out area. I was living with my parents there, went to school. but they moved back to County Longford, Drumlish, running Gallagher's bar, but I wasn't happy, I had a lot of friends in Glasgow I had missed, after three years I went back to Glasgow, and met Eamonn in a dance hall.
There was a great community spirit,amongst us Irish, helped each other out, in anyway we could.
In Gasgow we lived across from a Protestant school, never any trouble even with their marches they had with their celebrations and anniversaries. In saying that, there was always trouble at the St Patricks day.
And there was one Irish priest that was ran out of a church, because of the divide. I am a big Celtic fan said Eamonn. I was at the game in 71 when them deaths happened at the grounds in Ibrox. the game was a tight even game, we Celtic thought we got a winner late on when near last kick of game, rangers scored from a freekick, when the terrible accident, happened. back in them days, nobody had phones to contact you to see were you ok. But I was safe at opposite end didn't really l know the extent of the horror that happened at the other end, where 66 lost there lives. but going back to happier times, the Lisbon Lions, when Celtic won the European cup, I never forget it. Our youngest was Allisson, she was only baby at the time, poor thing I gave her such a fright when we won, she nearly leapt out of her cot, I made such a noise.
Eamonn Jr who was present said that 'one of the Lisbon lions came over to Longford to our Celtic Club. Jim Gregg, came over on the 1oth anniversary, and he wanted to check out possible family connectiosn with the farrels clan in Longford.
We also Holidayed in Portugal where mr Jimmy Johnson 'Jenky had a pun was called Jenkys, he was another great player for celtic.
Eamonn Senior went on to say about friends, ''Sammy Francis was a great friend and also rangers supported Billy Moore, we played a lot of cards and that. But myself and Sammy, On weekends when we warent working we would, work doing gardens, to rasie funds for a summer holiday. but on match days, they wer full day events. if we went straight from work to a game, we would get these pies called Pies&Peas. they would stick lose peas on top of pie. Kathleen said 'They would have eaten them, nto having cleaned or nothing, having gone straight from work, as you can imagine all sorts of dirt, and eat tehm outta their hands. Kathleen, went on to say about traveling back to home once with a friend she wanted to show her where she came from. Electric was just coming in in rural parts of Ireland, I rem the excitement of it, and the weekend I went back it was to come on. but wasn't their a big storm, that stopped It, and when I had left to go back to Glasgow, dint it cone on when I had gone. but spreaking of olde days like that, I rem the first time Tv came in. a man would go around to houses, not to sell, but to take for a week and see would they want it. I rem the moving lines on the screen, they were still learingin about at TVs themselves the Tv guy, we took one, sure why wouldn't you, unlike today, it was exciting all the same. Maybe not in the last couple for years but before that myself anf Eamonn, would go back to Glsgow every year, we loved it. I worked as a bus conductress also, that in itself taught me all I needed to know about Glasgow. Barrows Market, was a place everybody went to for a bargain. still their now, but its all up market now, nothing like it use to be,I remember sending Eamonn down to get me a Suitcase, he came back with a suitcase and a full T set within it, everybody had their tarpulins over there stalls, use to be good to go their and have a good lck around. I also rememeber your late Uncle Oliver Croghan, sang at out daughters wedding, We came back to settle in Longford, we moved to Waterstreet before we got a move to Teffia soon after, we are here since, just moved from one house to another. My brother had the house we live in now Jim McQuaid, a great firend of your Grandfatehr Mick Croghan, they really were great friends, every Sat they would meet up for an tipple and a chat.
we both worked for Textile Company when it first opened here on Bishops road, and til it closed down, We probably always gave out about the work, but thinking of work today in some factorys it was a palace, was great also because we both worked different shifts, so there was always somebody here with the kids.
We were friends with Harry Farrell, and I remember him saying, when he was to retitem he was going to start something up. Man his word, met him on the bridge one day when he said to come down to a club he had started, Eamonn said he was always passionate about sports and was heavily involed with community games. Kathleen went on to say about Harry ';He set up Harrys over 55's club. Badminting, Table Tennis, Bowls. its a great social event too you chat and catch up with all the gossip. Sadly Harry passed away, but it still goes on. Harry partner is chairperson, I myself involed with the committee, and also once a year the Garda, alow us the loan of their bus. we can use it to go anywhere in the country, we pay for the petrol alright but can have the bus for any length of time we need. I missed this years travel. they went to Glasnevin cemetary, last year we went to Sligo Yeats country. with the bowls there does be torunametns on, they play in Streetm Ardagh and Keenagh, take it very serious.
Just the other week we celebrated 57 years marriage. we like to travel, and we have travled a lot, to family or friends, thanks to them, we have been too new York few times thanks to David and Alisson, Canada, Florida to visit friends.
Eamonn senior was speaking to me about another passion of his the bookies. I did the bookies a lot but nothing big money wise, just a lot of doubles and crosses. Kathleen spoke to me about growing up on a farm briefly too. it was tough but good, we ate what we made, there was no messing, certain jobs had to be done at certain times, of the year. seeding, that was tough, the whole family would be out doing it, and yet you would be doing it all day, only person that didn't help was the mother, only because, she was keeping house and cooking dinner. and when the corn had to be done, mettling, threshing, it was a community event, everybody would help one family, one day and everybody would help another, another day. Was great community spirit, back in them days. You always here people saying about open, and walking into others homes without anything being said, they were true. and as we finished our conversation, as I always ask, what is if any sayings they known for. ''Eamonn Jr, Straight away said of his mum, Never be late. Too which she agreed. ' Yes, and that is a good one.

Kosuke Inaguma
Aichi Japan, on a years out of college traveling, studies agriculture in Tottori University.
Parents Mother Noriko Inaguma passed away over ten years, his father Hiromi Inaguma.
Kosuke, is 3 months in Ireland already, first landed in Co. Clare, he decided on traveling when he was unsure of where his future lay, instead of making quick decision he decided to dwell on it for a year. ended up in Longford Town, thanks to Billy & Jean Beahen, he met billy in Rooskey where billy was working for awhile, and just got chatting to Kosuke, whom said he was looking for a new host family, which he was having trouble finding.. He travelled via host family's on a programme called wwoofing, Wwoof.
Hosts take in international travellers for work and stay system, you can travel all corners of the world with it.
Bill and Jean are not, such hosts, but only in Ireland would you get such a welcome and hand, decided to help out, and he helped them with a few chores.
He was just leaving for Sligo when I bumped into to him, he was very very grateful to Billy & Jean, they gave him some great experience, offcourse some spins on motorcycle,  Billy being a biker. Also brought him to Tullynally Castle, among other things, including his first taste of Cider.
A very pleasant guy, his English a little rough around the edges but he learns quickly. He said he wanted to learn new experiences, and found he has more motivation now, more passion than he had when he was at home. a great experience to live with family's and see who they live, give me a new look on life, and more openness, thank I would have thought possible.
I was staying with lovely couple in Rooskey, Marion Van Der Pol, who kindly came in to drop him into to train station and say goodbyes. I'm somewhat spiritual not practising though, a Buddhist left me with
I am a lot more open minded, having done what I have done already, that's my advice to anybody, travel and experience and change your life
‪#‎Japan‬ ‪#‎Longford‬ ''Photographer Michael Croghan''
Billy's Barber's
http://www.wwoof.ie/