The Hogans of Glenart

When thinking about Glenart I find it very difficult to pinpoint any one particular event, instead my mind is filled with lots of memories of a wonderful happy house. I can still see the iron railings in the front garden and the fuchsia growing along the pathway leading to the hall door. Just inside the front door, I remember a large black mirrored hallstand laden down with scores of hats and coats and the sitting room just off the hall with its chintzy chairs, the cushions of which would be used by "the cousins" as play things, much to the annoyance of Eileen and Sheila.

I could never forget the large dining room with the enormous table and sideboard, not to mention the numerous chairs of various shapes and sizes. There was also a cocktail cabinet made by Una and the large cupboard which housed everything from the Penny Blackman to pounds and pounds of homemade jam, destined for a Sale of Work somewhere. This was the party entertainment room where we got to see movies like Laurel and Hardy and play games such as The Music Man and Hokey Cokey.

As for the kitchen area, what I remember most are the large tables (needed to seat all the nieces, nephews, friends etc., who came to the family parties); and the pantries (the storage place for yet more homemade goodies). There was always more than one sitting for tea in Glenart (and you though two sittings for meals in restaurants was a new thing - maybe it originated in Glenart). I'm sure we had lots of fabulous food but I particularly remember the meringues and little pineapple tartlets (recipe available on request). We were all partial to the meringues - so much so that Una would have to hide some away so that there were at least a few left for the next sitting. There were parties in the summer (there was one being held the day Deirdre was born) and of course Christmas parties. There were also adult parties but alas I never managed to graduate to a proper adult party. Una gave Maeve and I a joint party one year (our 15^th and 19th respectively) and Maeve had her 21st birthday in Glenart.

Upstairs were 4 bedrooms and a bathroom. The bathroom was enormous, with a fireplace and a bath with legs (John D'Souza reckoned you could drown in the bath it was so big!). The bedroom I remember most was Una's and I have a memory of powder in a china bowl and powder puffs. Then of course there were the massive wardrobes in the front bedroom so big they could accommodate many cousins playing hide and seek.

The back garden was another play area for us cousins. Which of us remembers the game of Robin Hood (Denis) and his merry men who, aided and abetted by Maid Marion (Maeve), captured the enemy (Carmel) and tied her to one of the plum trees? You'll be pleased to know that Brendan came to her rescue. I have to take Maid Marion's word for this story as I'm sure I wasn't a party to such goings on.

I realise my memory is not very reliable (I believed that Brendan had a motorbike with a sidecar but I have been reliably informed by senior members of the family that this was never the case) so some of my reflections may be just my imagination!

A few years ago Glenart was up for sale and both Maeve and I went to a viewing. Just stepping over the threshold evoked many memories which I thought were long forgotten. The house was different yet it was the same, the décor seemed strangely familiar, the pantries had been demolished and the back wall had been knocked down to accommodate sliding doors giving a view of the gardens (no plum trees left). We spent a very happy hour wandering around and reminiscing about times past.

I forget that not all the cousins have had the 'Glenart Experience' but I'm sure that the Glenart spirit is alive and well in all the Hogan clan.