Early Years 
I was born during World War II  in Coleraine, County Londonderry (I call it County Derry) and grew up in Magherafelt -  a small market town in the south of the county about 10 miles (15 km) from Lough Neagh. I was part of a large extended family which is now scattered across the British Isles, Australia and North America. I can trace my paternal ancestors in the county to early 19th century and on my mother’s side to early 17th century.  I was educated at the local parish (Church of Ireland) school and then the grammar school (interdenominational) – Rainey Endowed – established by Hugh Rainey in Magherafelt in 1712.

Emigration and Education 
After college in Belfast, I emigrated with an older sister  to Victoria, Australia where I spent over two great years mainly in Victoria and North Queensland before returning to Northern Ireland. From that point I have had a varied professional and academic career teaching  in the tertiary sector in England and Northern Ireland and then as an administrator in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. I graduated with BA (Hons) from the Open University in 1976 and later graduated with  MA(Continuing Education) from the University of Ulster in 1979.  Now in ‘retirement’ I am taking a postgraduate programme with Queen’s University, Belfast leading to MSSc in Irish Migration Studies.

I am a mother and grandmother and a ruling elder in a lively local Presbyterian

congregation. I enjoy my home, family and small garden and frequent visits to

theatre/concerts in Belfast and other venues.
.

Travel - my passion

I have always enjoyed travel and make regular trips back to Australia during which I have had wonderful stopovers in such places as British Columbia, California, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam and Thailand. I have visited Zimbabwe and several countries on the European continent.