Golden celebrations for Murty and Peggy

ON June 29, 1960 Murty Harvey waited at the altar in Ennis Cathedral for Peggy McMahon from Cranny. It was worth the wait. Fifty years later, the couple are still going strong in Brisla, Cooraclare, with half a century of married life behind them.

Murty has plenty to thank local dances for. It was there that he met Peggy and eventually whisked her up to Cooraclare.
“You’d have dances in Knockerra, Kilmihil, Kildysart, Labasheeda. Once I got in contact with her, they were our dances,” he remembers.
These days, it’s impossible not to stay in contact as long as both parties are willing. But fifty years ago, public telephones were scarce, let alone mobiles, Facebook or Twitter. Murty and his contemporaries had to put in the miles if they were to nab and then hang onto their women.
“You knew where the next dance was and you’d go to Kildysart the next Sunday night. Or you’d be in Labasheeda, Kilmihil or Knockerra. Knockerra was all the go that time. But everyone was like me. ’Twas the same story. There was no trouble getting 10 or 12 of us to cycle to a dance,” Murty reflected.
Honeymoons didn’t last long in 1960s. Most couples couldn’t afford one and had to make do with a few days in Ireland.
“We went to Dublin for a week. Money was very, very scarce that time,” Murty explained.
The Harveys’ annual holiday was in Lisdoonvarna, where they headed for nearly every September.
“My only holiday after getting married was Lisdoonvarna. I loved Lisdoonvarna. We’d always knock the week out of it,” he said.
Murty and Peggy had three children, Paddy, Bridget and Mary, and now have three grandchildren, Colm, Liam and Seán.
“They stay here an odd time. They’re three great farmers. They love to be here. ’Twould surprise you all you can knock off of them,” Murty said of his grandchildren.
Although he loves set dancing and helped Cooraclare GAA Club with their field development work, farming is Murty’s second great passion, after Peggy.
“We were always dairying. I got married with 12 cows and started selling the calves then. I was one of the first to sell the calves and I put in a few extra cows. I was always going for cows. We finished up with 30 cows,” Murty explained, adding that his neighbours, the McGuanes, Gallaghers and Gormans, were dairy farmers as well.
As for 50 years of marriage, Murty believes that couples these days are under more financial strain. Therefore, they often part company long before they hit their golden wedding anniversary.
“I suppose they give in a bit too easily. But we had no borrowing. My father was always quoting to her, (Peggy) when she’d be going to town. He’d say, ‘Peg, never buy what you want’. And then he’d pause for a bit, ‘Buy what you can’t do without’. ’Twas a great line at that time. But then, as the years went by, no young couple is thinking of that now,” Murty noted.
“You took them that time for life. That was that. We all have our ups and downs but you shouldn’t sleep on it,” he added.
Another help might have been the fact that Murty didn’t drink until he was married for several years.
“I’m not a drinking man. One or two drinks would do me the whole time. I don’t like drink,” he said.
The last half a century has flown by. A story told about a local man, who was dying, underlines how quickly the years fly past.
“There was an old man dying here near us. He was 97 or 98. He was dying of old age. There was a fella up with him and he said ‘you must have a lot to tell us about your life’. He said ‘I was going to school for a long time and from 20 to 30 was very long. From 30 to 60 flew and by heavens I thought ’twas yesterday I got my pension book,” Murty recounted the man saying.
The years have sped by for Murty and Peggy Harvey but they are very hopeful that there are plenty more where the first 50 came from.