Heritage: Star columnist’s book tells when Irish eyes met Yorkshire skies

When Irish Eyes Meet orkshire Skies is the story of her parents who met and married in pre-war Sheffield.

It has a few surprising twists but retains Monica’s style as showcased in her first book, Bottle Green Knickers With Pockets - Growing Up in 1950s Sheffield.

Roisin – Rose - Conlan left the Republic of Ireland where she had lived on the family farm with her parents and seven siblings, in her early twenties, to seek work in the UK.

Accompanying her were her sisters Bridie who married and settled in Birkenhead and her sister Eileen, who, after working with Roisin at the City General Hospital in Sheffield, returned to Ireland where she lived for the rest of her life.

Roisin married local actor and playwright Ernest Morton, having daughters Monica and Eileen. They spent every summer of their childhood on their grandparents farm in Drumgor, County Monaghan.

The book takes you to small towns with names like Ballybay, Latton and Dunleer. Neighbours called Conlan, McCabe, Duffy and Lennon.

Remembering fairy rings, jaunting cars, peat bogs, soda bread, humour, music and poetry.

There are also memories of her father’s life, of the amateur theatrical societies who staged many of his plays and of the unusual circumstances of her parents romance.

Contact Monica on [email protected] for details.