It all began 8.30pm on St. Joseph’s Day, 50 years ago to be chronologically correct. I arrived quite quickly and with minimal damage to my mother. Although legend tells she received 19 needles before, during or after my birth. *

I was considered very beautiful by my Father, his fear was this beauty wouldn’t last. Being a beautiful baby is often the high point of a person’s good looks. In my case it is probably true.
I was fortunate to be the first child, therefore I received non stop attention of which I remember nothing. My first home was a 16ft caravan in the back yard of my paternal grandparents.
I decided to walk at 9 months, much too early to realise I would be spending most of the next 50 years standing up. Yep, the stupid things you do when you are young.
My Mother entered me in The…