Delia Mahon or Brighid Ní Mathamáin

 

Delia Mahon Student

Photo courtesy: Jane Mahon

 

Copybook courtesy: Marty Mahon

Copybooks filled with compositions or essays that were written by Delia Mahon have been inherited and preserved by her nephew Marty Mahon of Cappa, Woodford.

Delia, born in 1892, was a student in Woodford National School and these copybooks cover the school years 1906-1907 and 1907-1908.  At that time there was no Secondary School in Woodford and many students, including Delia would have completed their education at Primary School.

The essays make very interesting reading most especially because of the high standard of composition and writing by Delia who was a 5th or 6th class student in Woodford National School at the time they were written.  Many of the sentiments expressed show a maturity way beyond Delia’s age and her writing also shows a great love and understanding of nature.  Delia would have been 14 or 15 years when she wrote these essays.

Many of these essays have her teacher’s comment at the end and most of the 1907-1908 school year essays are dated by her teacher during the various months throughout the school year.  Although not all essays are dated, they are all recorded in either the 1906-1907 essay copybook or the 1907-1908 one and many also provide a social diary of the happenings experienced by this young girl in the early 1900s.

The essays cover a wide range of topics and in time, we hope to publish all of them on this website. All stories from Delia Mahon will be published under the ‘Delia Mahon Collection‘.  It is our hope you will enjoy reading these and any comments you make will be welcomed.