Life in the town of Dingle in the middle of the 20th century, here described by John O'Connor, is far different from what it is in the tourist mecca which Dingle has become.The recollections of life in Dingle, Co Kerry, Ireland in the 1950s and 1960s have at their root the travails of a large family pitted against a backdrop of poverty, class distinction, and dominating church rule. However, amidst the harsh times, O'Connor and his nine siblings found a way through the gloom with an optimism which stemmed from a comradery founded in their home by the harbour with their hard-working parents, and in the many outdoor pursuits with friends, which sustained their want for adventure.