For a few years in the early fifties when I lived and went to school in Carrick-on-Suir, my father, John Wall, frequently reminded me that I was descended from the Walls of Coolnamuck. At the time, the significance of this information meant very little. I was probably too young and had no real interest in Irish or family history.

A recent publication which discusses in depth the origins of the Wall family in Ireland, inspired me to research my own ancestors. This revealed that my great grandmother was actually a lacemaker. Her name was Julia Roache and she married James Wall. She was a lace maker and is wearing one of the waistcoats she made in the photograph below. Lace making in Ireland began as a result of Ursuline nuns forming crochet schools to teach women and girls in need to work during the potato famine in the mid 19th century.

This painting (pictured) has been among our family possessions for almost 70 years. It hung in a prominent place in our home in its black and gold frame and was much admired.  My father, John Wall, told us when we were children that the man in the painting was his grandfather but as his own father had died when he was only 10 years old, little was known of his grandfather except his name.