The Suncar.
“This pushchair/ buggy/ arrived to number 20 Fitzgibbon St. Dublin 1 in 1918 for the birth of Mary Theresa Reddin. Sadly Mary Theresa died just two years later.
In 1922 Joseph Patrick was born. He would be the Reddin’s only child .
The pushchair, known in the family as ‘the Suncar’ was for taking Joseph out to the Phoenix park and to Mountjoy Sq. which were nearby, on walks to get fresh air.
In the late fifties Joseph married Rosaleen Daly and the pram and Joseph’s Mother Edith Reddin came to live with them in their home on Old Cabra Road Dublin 7.
They in time had 5 children who all begged to take the wheels off the pram to make a trolly car in the early sixties!
Their Grandmother Edith was having none of it and took the sunchair to her bedroom to preserved it. When Edith died it was consigned (very carefully) to the artic.
In turn , on Joseph’s passing in October 2011 It was passed on to Ciaran Reddin, Joe’s son who has treasured it since he was a little boy.
The pram’s journey now takes it to Dún Laoghaire, to the Museum of Childhood Ireland, a social history of childhood and growing up on the island of Ireland in Ireland / amongst the diaspora project, where it can now be enjoyed by everyone.
Joseph would have wanted that.”
Phil and Ciarian Reddin.
December 2019.
