Michael Harrison was a sargent in the Royal Irish Constabulary. He lived in Church Road, Ballina near the end of his service and had 18 children. My mother Teresa Harrison was the youngest and was born in Ballina in 1918. She married my father Gerald Clarke in 1947.

Many of Mum’s siblings emigrated to America, in particular Lucy who lived in Mamaroneck, New York City. She worked in Macys and I visited her in 1970 when I was 20 years old.

Another brother lived in Upper State New York, so there was a strong relationship between the Harrison family in the USA and Ballina and other parts of Ireland.

Later I lived and worked in San Francisco 1982-1986 but now live in Dublin.

Gerry Clarke