Episode 4: I spoke with Louise Traynor, a survivor of the Twin Tower attacks in 2001.

Originally from Derrynoose, like many young Irish people, Louise emigrated to America, setting out to see the world and explore new opportunities.

At the time, she was Louise Woods and had secured a job at the World Trade Centre in 2001. Living in New York with a group of friends, she was loving life there.

On September 11, 2001, not long before her 25th birthday, Louise travelled to work as usual, sitting at her desk on the 101st floor of the South Tower. That morning would change the course of her life forever.

This September will mark 25 years since the Twin Tower attacks.

Now a mother of two, Louise left New York to marry Paul Traynor in 2006, who she had met over there, and has since made their home near the townland of Glassdrummond.

In this episode, Louise talks openly about life in New York, facing her own mortality, dealing with PTSD, and adjusting to a life that would “never be the same.”

She also talks about never taking anything for granted, living life to the fullest, the privilege of getting older, returning to the 9/11 Memorial, and how being from here may have saved her life, with her instinct telling her to evacuate the Tower, despite being advised not to.

This is Louise Traynor, at Twenty-Five. <3

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Episode 3: I joined Úna Walsh in the Cardinal Ó Fiaich Heritage Centre in Cullyhanna.

An historian, storyteller, community activist, mother, a champion of South Armagh, among many, many other things, Una needs no introduction when it comes to this area and its heritage.

Una is well known for preserving the stories of South Armagh, but this conversation offers a look into her own life.

Murphy before she got married, Úna shares seven children with her husband Michael Walsh. With their wedding day on Úna’s 21st birthday, and living in Mullaghbawn ever since, they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

In this episode, we talk about how she was the first woman in a line of family historians to take on the role, how she balanced community activism and motherhood, and how she made it all happen even without a driver’s licence.

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We also discuss her lifelong belief that the story of South Armagh should be told by those who lived it, her love of literature, the importance of standing your ground, and giving recognition to the women who came before us.

This is Una Walsh, at Twenty-Five.

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Episode 2: I spent time with Patricia Kernan in her home in Crossmaglen. Family and football have been at the heart of Patricia’s life for decades, much like Gaelic games are central to culture in South Armagh.

Originally from Jonesborough, Patricia married Joe Kernan at 18, and in her own words, they took on every obstacle as a team. From then on, one of her main goals was to build and maintain a strong family unit- and they did just that.

In this episode, we talk about rearing a family during the conflict, getting married at Dublin Airport, working from home before it was normal, and how her ‘boys’ turned the field behind their house into their own Croke Park.

Patricia also reflects on the tragedy of losing their first baby boy, Joseph, who would have been 46. She talks about fertility struggles, their longing for a family, the trauma of an ectopic pregnancy, and how their Labrador Bruno helped save her life.

This is Patricia Kernan, at Twenty-Five.

***Content Warning: While this conversation aims to raise awareness, this episode contains discussions of baby loss which some people might find distressing.

Support and Resources:

Feileacain: https://feileacain.ie/about/

SANDS (North): https://www.sands.org.uk/***

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