The journey to penning this article began by investigating two unused and ruined petrol pumps at the side of the road in Lower Dripsey. They are reminders of a past enterprise but also in a sense, reminded me of archaeological monuments but of the modern kind.

Chatting with local residents, the name Bill Williams came to the forefront. Initially, my correspondents were all able to paint a partial picture of the enterprise.

Williams Family c.1915, standing up, Bill Williams; L-r, Jane, Granny McDonald?, Rita, Mary (Mother); front row, Eva and Lilian (pictures: Oonagh O'Mahony).

The pumps were part of a garage and a shop was across the road. They also made suggestions and referrals to other people (all of whom had interesting family stories themselves). After a series of half a dozen referrals the picture became clearer and I was more intrigued by Bill and his life and times which local people had deep respect for. In fact, I myself have developed a respect for this man, who seemed to bring a twentieth century freshness to the area, ideas of modernity. Bill was born in the 1890s and died in the 1960s.

I eventually caught up with Bill's niece Oonagh, who is now 89 with connections in Inniscarra and College Road. She was able to help me build a clearer portrait of her uncle Bill Williams and not only the petrol station and his shop but also his family roots as well. Oonagh was born in 1918 in Cork City. She went to primary and secondary school in Rochelle. She lived in Eudion Castle Road, Blackrock. It is reputed that Quaker William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, stayed in the then existing dwelling house while awaiting passage to America in the late seventeenth century. Oonagh's parents were Jack (surname, Williams, born Dripsey) and Ellen (surname, Cholorton Fitzgibbon, born Kinsale). Jack was a brother to Bill. Jack had one of the oldest stockbroker–accountancy firms in the city on the South Mall. He had his office open at 8am every morning. Oonagh married Francis O'Mahony from the City Centre. He was an engineer. Oonagh inherited "the Studio" now AIB, opposite UCC. The artist Harry Houchen designed and built it. When he died, his widow married an Uncle on Oonagh's mother's side.

Oonagh's grandmother (father's side) came from Galway, Mary McDonald, Oonagh remembers her as an old lady who recalled that she was born just after the Famine. Oonagh's grandmother was John Williams, a Protestant, who was from Dripsey. The story goes that generations back way before the Famine two men with surnames Williams and Burke quarrelled over ownership of land in Dripsey. The Williams won. The Williams at one time were involved in three houses in Dripsey. It is known that other branches of the family also had shops as well in Co. Cork, at Canon's Cross, Inniscarra, the Castle Hotel in Macroom (living in Coolcower) and at the Mills Inn in Ballyvourney.

Oonagh's grandfather John Williams had a shop in the Dripsey area. He was also big into fishing on the Lee. He died quite young from pneumonia. Subsequently, his wife was a widow for thirty years. John and Mary had twelve children- six boys and six girls. Oonagh could remember the vast majority of their names Sarah (the eldest), Jane, Francis (Fanny), Evalena (Eva), Rita, Lilian, John, James and Bill. Oonagh's father was christened John but was affectionately known as Jack.

The house in Dripsey became too small for the family and the Williams decided to build a larger house and to uproot the small shop, which was attached to Lower Dripsey. The new dwelling was a large structure with each member of the household having their own bedroom. It was deemed essential to have some other income besides the farm. Hence, the new house also had a shop attached at one side.

On Oonagh's mother's side, her grandmother was Mary Fitzgibbon from Kinsale. When her husband died, she bought Dereen, a house a half-mile west of Coachford. She had seven children. Ellen was the youngest and became Oonagh's mother. Of the seven Fitzgibbon children, Bob and Neillie were the only two who stayed in Ireland. Bob eventually went off to war but never returned. For Oonagh, she had two options of entertainment in her youth - visit her relations in Dereen or Lower Dripsey.