After I left TAA I was quite restless.  I think I was 61 and felt I could go on working. So John McCabe, who was the ex-manager of TAA Townsville, and I bought a travel agency at Hamilton called Let’s Travel.

We bought this in 1983 and we got it for a song and built it up.   In 1989, when travel computers came in and the handling of the agency was becoming quite complicated, we sold it to a family who owned travel agencies and were happy to buy it and we were happy to sell.

After the sale I worked for that family at Wynum for six to nine months and when I left that I also did some work for the Uniting Church in their travel department, but that was not terribly satisfactory and I passed all the work I had over to Thomas Cook who looked after them very well. It was very hard trying to run a travel agency without all the high tech knowledge that goes with it.

In retirement we’ve been to Hobart with Mark, and to Western Australia, and to Sydney many times. Only a couple of years ago in 2002 Grace’s favourite friend and brother David died and he was sadly mourned. But none of us lives forever. David was Grace’s younger brother and he was greatly loved by everyone, including all of my boys who mourned his death as did lots of others. They have established an award each year as the Dr David Garlick award at the University of New South Wales in his memory.  You can read more about David's life by following this link.

I think it should be stated that my health which has been reasonably good. I am a diabetic of course, and I’ve known about that for about six years, and it has not had a big effect on my life. A couple of years ago I had a triple bypass and a friend of Bruce Garlick, Frank’s son, did the operation and obviously not an easy operation. At the age of 80 he did a triple bypass on me.  I recovered and my heart doctor, Dr. Nikwan, now looks after me at Greenslopes and says I won’t drop dead from a heart attack because my heart is working well. At present, Grace and I are well looked after by our Aspley G.P. Dr. John Woodward who certainly keeps us from being neurotic.

At the age of 68, I took up playing golf at Nudgee Golf Course with Fred Stewart whom I met at David and Diana’s wedding. We used to play at least twice a week and became quite good at it.

Fred Stewart was a tall good-natured Scot who enjoyed golf and an argument with an Irishman and I was always willing to oblige him with an Irish point of view. After 10 years, Fred had a heart attack and died quite suddenly. In memory of Fred, Grace and I take Isobel, his wife, to the Kedron Wavell club every two or three weeks and have happy talks of Fred and his ways. He won’t be forgotten.

I think it should be added at the termination of this report that my beliefs have been greatly shaped by my life experience.  In Ireland and elsewhere in the world, I have encountered strong hatred in organised religion and because of this I have listed my religion as Christian.  It would be foolish of me to put my survival during the war down and afterwards to "Irish Luck".  Rather the power of prayer has always been my answer to difficult personal problems.

Grace and I were fortunate to discover (through our sons) a place of worship in West End in Brisbane called the House of Freedom Christian Community, and each Sunday we attend worship with a group varying between six to 20 people, mostly made up of people who have left their churches (Catholics, Baptists, Methodist, Church of England etc) and enjoy this worship without the dogma of organised religion. It is helped by a musical genius Peter Stewart who composes and plays music for our service and also on many occasions takes a turn to lead in simple worship. Below are links to two of Peter's songs, which I hope you will enjoy.

Higher Love: © 2002 Peter Stewart

Into the Light: © 1983 Peter Stewart

Last and most important of all, I should say how my six children – John (deceased), Scott and Sally, from my first marriage, and David, Peter and Mark have all enriched my life.

I had previously written on all of my children and perhaps my family felt they should tell their own story so I will list them with brief comment.

John, my eldest went to Brisbane Boys’ College then university and graduated as a solicitor, and had two children in a partnership with Christine Nugent. They are twins Alexandra who goes to St. Rita’s, and Charles an all-round sports star to Nudgee. John died at the age of 51 of a heart attack and enjoyed life, and was sadly missed by all his family.

Scott went to BBC and QUT and qualified as an accountant, and then the higher degree for certified accountant. He worked for several Australian companies and then for oil companies throughout the world as auditor. He now lives in Houston USA with his wife Silvie, and has one son Oliver who lives in New Zealand and spends holidays with Scott.

Sally my only daughter went to St. Margaret’s, did social work at Queensland University and then spent 10 years in England and completed higher degrees in psychoanalytic social work at the Tavistock Institute. She now works for Queensland Health at Greenslopes, and also in private practice, and lives at Kedron in a lovely house and garden, with a cat called Fluffy.

At this stage I should pay tribute to Jocelyn, my first wife, in her devotion to John, Scott and Sally, and her care of her grandchildren Oliver John, Alexandra and Charles.

David went to St. Paul’s and to Queensland University to complete a master’s then PhD in science. He went overseas to Bangor University in North Wales and then to Oxford where his daughter Amy was born. His son Toby was born later in Brisbane where David is now associate professor at Griffith University.

Peter went to St. Paul’s and was dux and then did social work at Queensland University. He later transferred to Queensland Government Housing department, and completed a master’s degree at Sydney University. Peter is married to Narelle Thomas and they have two children, Ellen and Conor.

Mark was also dux at St. Paul’s School, completed history honours at Queensland University, and a master’s in ethics at QUT. He worked for the Uniting Church for 10 years in social justice, a job the good Lord would hesitate to apply for, and is now with the Queensland Government Seniors department, and lives at Highgate Hill with a cat called Fitzroy (named for our champion football team).

Every year at Christmas or during the year the total family gets together with Grace and me to celebrate at the Sheraton Mirage resort on the Gold Coast for a birthday or special occasion. Grace and I greatly value them and for both of us they have been a treasured supportive family.

This manuscript ends with the legal jargon of errors and omissions accepted, and should be noted that these omissions are intentional.

References:

Carson W H (1981), "The Dam Builders, the story of the men who built the Silent Valley Reservoir", Mourne Observer Press, Newcastle

Photograph of Dad page 63 back row top right.