MY DAD CAME FROM A BIG FAMILY IN MONAGHAN IN IRELAND HE WAS A ONLY CHILD OF ROBERT AND ANNIE OWENS HE NEVER KNEW HIS FATHER BUT HE HAD LOTS OF AUNTIES AND UNCLES 13 IN ALL FROM HIS MUMS SIDE ANNIE WAS THE OLDEST OF THE 13 SHE HAD MY DAD AND WENT AWAY TO WORK AND HIS GRANNY AND GRANDA BROUGHT HIM UP HE LOVED HIS GRANNY MULLEN THEY STAYED ON THE MONAGHAN ROAD IN A SMALL COTTAGE AND AS I,VE BEEN TOLD HE WAS A SPOILT BRAT IN A GOOD WAY HE GOT UP TO ALL SORTS AS A LAD GROWING UP HE LOVED HIS AUNT ROSIE AND AUNT JOSIE THEY USED TO CARRY HIM TO SCHOOL ON THERE BACK BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT WALK FOR THEM THE LAST TIME HE EVER SAW HIS DAD WAS WHEN HE WAS 6YRS OLD I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO GOT TO MEET ROBERT MY GRANDFATHER BUT HE JUST DISAPIERD NO ONE EVER HEARD FROM HIM AGAIN AS FAR AS WE ARE LED TO BELIVE HE CAME FROM ATHLONE BUT I HAVE TRIED TO TRACE ANY OWENS,FROM THE AREA BUT WITH NO SUCSESS WELL MORE ABOUT MY DAD HE WAS THE BEST I MISS HIM SO MUCH MY MUM AND DAD SPLIT UP YEARS AGO AND HE WENT HOME TO IRELAND AND LEFT ME AND MY 2 BROTHERS AND MY SISTER WITH MY MUM HE HAD NO CHOICE SHE WOULD NOT LET US GO WITH HIM SO WE LOST TOUCH FOR A FEW YEARS BUT I FOUND HIM AGAIN A GOOD FEW YEARS BEFORE HE DIED AND I USED TO GO AND VISIT HIM AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR HE WAS GREAT WITH MY SON RICHARD HE USED TO CALL HIM MYCAUDY HE LOVED HIM TO BITS AND RICHARD LOVED HIS GRANDA TO BITS I MISS HIS CALLS HE USED TO PHONE ME EVERY SECOND DAY AND I WOULD PHONE HIM I MISS OUR CONVERSATIONS WHEN HE HAD A DRINK IN HIM HE USED TO CALL HIS LOCAL RADIO STATION AND GET SONGS PLAYED FOR ME THEN CALL ME AND I WOULD HAVE TO LISTEN TO THEM AND WHEN I WENT HOME TO CLONES FOR A HOLIDAY HE WOULD DO THE SAME WHAT I WOULD NOT GIVE TO HEAR HIS VOICE ON THE PHONE ONCE MORE HE DIED IN MONAGHAN HOSPITAL ON JAN 16,2001 I WENT HOME TO BURY HIM HE IS AT REST IN MOUNT SAINT OLIVERS CEMETRY IN CLONES STRAIGHT ACCROSS FROM THE HOUSE HE USED TO LIVE IN HE ALSO USED TO WORK IN THE TOWER BAR IN FARGHMANA ST BUT USED TO DRINK WHAT HE EARND WHAT A MAN HE USED TO WORK IN THE HIBERNIAN HOTEL IN CLONES AS A KITCHEN HAND ON THE DAY OF HIS FUNERAL PEOPLE CAME TO SAY GOOD BUY THAT I NEVER EVEN KNEW BUT THEY ALL KNEW JIM OWENS HE IS MY DAD AND I WAS SO PROUD OF HIM I AM STILL LOOKING TO SEE IF I CAN TRACE ANY FAMILY FROM HIS DADS SIDE BUT ITS LIKE HITTING A BRICK WALL WELL THERE IS A LOT MORE TO SAY ABOUT MY DA BUT I WILL LEAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER DAY REST IN PEACE DA AND WATCH OVER ME AND MY FAMILY TILL WE MEET AGAIN AND I NO WE WILL I LOVE YOU < YOUR DAUGHTER MARGARET XX >