The Hogans of Glenart

Visiting Glenart was always a special occasion to me. If my memory can be relied on, aside from the big events (Christmas parties), we would sometimes call in at the weekend when going to Seapoint for a swim or even when Dad was giving Mam a break by taking us for a drive. I always associated the house with cooking - massive batches of marmalade cooked in the pressure cooker (which occasionally exploded to cover the ceiling), mountains of meringues and gorgeous shortbread.

To this day, I still adore shortbread and have never succeeded in making it like Aunty Una. Glenart was the only house I knew as a child where a large Christmas tree could be installed in the hall and not create any difficulties. It's funny the way the smell of a Christmas tree still transports me back to our arrival at the big front door that Sunday just before Christmas when the crowds of aunties, uncles and cousins congregated to indulge in an orgy of wonderful food and good will. I loved the soda siphons on top of the sideboard in the dining room where we children played games and performed all our party pieces at the wonderful Christmas parties, the way the stairs turned and the way there were rooms at a number of levels both upstairs and down. I think we were very privileged to have it as the family seat!