I received a second letter about NeCarne (Irvine Castle) from someone that just stumbled onto my site.

16 January 2000

After seeing your web sight on the Irvine castle, I would like to tell you about my grandmother.  These are some of the memories that she related to me about her nursing in Castle Irvine.  Her name was Anna Mary Ormsby.  She was born in Co. Kerry, Ireland the 27th of June, 1884. 

    In the year 1900, at the age of 16 yrs she went to County Cork and trained in the hospital there to become a nurse. She was 19 years of age when Mrs. D'Arcy came to the hospital and selected her to come live in Castle Irvine to take care of Major D'Arcy Irvine;  She said the Major was ill and needed special care--more than Mrs. Irvine could provide alone.  Mrs. Irvine particularly wanted a Protestant nurse.  She liked my grandmother right away and selected her personally.  My grandmother worked for the Irvine family while still attending nursing school.  She graduated from the school in the year 1906.  After graduation, she went to live in the castle with the family.  She said she had her own private rooms and her own private entrance to her quarters.  (you may have noticed the wall to the right of the castle.  It had a small opening door that is now cemented in, but you can still see it.  This was the private entrance leading to her rooms.)

    My grandmother often talked about the children and when she was off duty, would take the children on walks across the stone bridge to the right of the castle, and down into the fields.  The family had several large dogs that my grandmother was very fond of the they would accompany them on these outings.  ( My grandmother and the eldest daughter of the family formed a great friendship, and for years later, they kept in touch.  When the daughter left Ireland to attend schools, and then later traveled, she would send my grandmother notes and cards from wherever she was in the world.)

    When the Major D'Arcy passed, my grandmother prepared him for burial and stayed on with the family for a short time.  She met my grandfather Samuel James England and married him in Portadown, Co. Armagh, Ireland in the year 1912.  They left Ireland for the United States in April of 1912.  She passed away in the state of California on September 19,1970 

    I took my father, Albert James England to Ireland in March of 1994.  We visited Irvine Castle. (the name already changed to NeCarne Castle some years before.)  It was being transformed into an equestrian facility.  The workmen there were very nice to let us take pictures and walk around the grounds.  We were able to see all the things that my grandmother talked about.

Thank you for letting me share with you.

Joan Ann (England) Johnson

E-Mail address:  jjohnson@oregoncoast.com