Emily Moss interviewed her mother, Dorothy Duffy. Dorothy’s interview tells a story of growing up as the youngest of 10 children in a West of Ireland family where the experience of love, loyalty and fun were set against the backdrop of significant family dysfunction and conflict with her father. This is underscored with rich commentary on the impact and prevalence more broadly of the restrictive and oppressive influences of the catholic church. There is reference to an experience of child sexual abuse from outside the family and protection from within, as well as physical abuse both at home and at school. Education and academic achievement gets particular prominence. What is described as a liberating move from Ireland to London in the late 70s includes some critical reflection on the attitudes of the time to being Irish in England. Further travel includes time spent in Australia and New Zealand. Her early ambition for and success in nursing, alongside Dorothy’s love and talent for theatre are strong themes as are settling in London and ‘growing’ a family.  Additional note: During the Covid 19 pandemic Dorothy’s sister Billy, referenced in the transcript and previously interviewed for this oral history project ‘passed away’ in a UK residential home. Billy became the subject of a poem written by Dorothy to commemorate her life and death, and the circumstances of her passing.  Recordings of Dorothy reciting said poem were widely distributed in the summer of 2020 across media outlets in the UK, Ireland and the US.