“This photo was taken on the day my parents (Sean and Marie McKernan) got engaged September 14th 1953. My parents travelled from Belfast to Dublin and were snapped by Mr Fields shortly after buying the ring. I really would love to know where exactly the photo was taken, can you tell? For my 50th birthday my family had a Belfast artist Paul Walls reproduce the photo in the form of a painting. I was presented with the painting on December 1st 2012, a hugely emotional occasion as my mother had died on August 27th. My dad was with us and he was very upset and wanted one for himself. I explained that wasn’t possible and the next morning brought the painting to my parents house and put it up for my dad. I told him he could have it for as long as he wanted however he tortured my brother who knew the artist to get one for himself! Dad died on March 26th and was being waked at home on Friday 28th when the news came through of the feature on the Late Late. Here’s the scary bit. I was sitting talking to the artist whom I’d never met or spoken to about the painting and the circumstances of the photo at that very moment. Although we’re all Belfast people, I’ve worked in Dublin 4 days each week for the last 15 years and though I never met Mr Fields this photo is very precious to my family and in particular right now. I wonder were any of his other photos reproduced as paintings? Maybe I could find a way of also sending you a picture of the painting. Good luck with the gathering of so many memories.”
(1953)
Submitted by Francis McKernan