Pauline Power was born on Colinet Island, St. Mary's Bay. She lived there for 36 years before resettling to Admiral's Beach. She raised 13 children and still lives in her own home. She enjoys playing cards and bingo.

OLD TIMES AND WEDDINGS

At Christmastime we had house dances. Whoever had the house party would donate their chicken and the women would make chicken soup and they would have bread. Somebody would play the accordion and we would dance until dawn. There would be dances every week during Christmas. People would bring buns and have tea or soup. They would hang lanterns on nails and play the accordion and dance.

During Lent there was no dancing or parties. Everyone would look forward to St. Patrick's Day. That was the big thing during Lent. On St. Patrick's Day they would have a dance.

In the summertime there would be a spree. There would be plates full of cold mutton, buns (everybody would bake something), pies, tarts, cakes, soft drinks and lemonade. The lemonade was mixed up in a bucket and sold for five cents a glass. There would also be a charge for the plates. The men had beer but they didn't have it in the hall. They would hide it in the woods. We would dance until the sun came up and walk home in the morning. Everybody was there – men, women and children. There would be candy and treats for the children.

Weddings were mostly held in houses. Sometimes the Priest would be asked for the use of the hall. Sometimes he would give it to them but other times he wouldn't. I had my wedding in a house. The wedding ceremony was in one house and the dance was in another. People would offer to help with the food. The ones who were being married would supply the food and everyone would make the suppers. Father Doody's mother made our wedding cake for us. We had to go to St. Joseph's in a motor boat to get married. When we got back it was too dark to take pictures. There were just outdoor cameras – no flash cameras. As with Christmas, the entertainment was an accordion and everyone would dance away.

Admiral's Beach

View from the "Beach Hill"