Ballybane woman publishes her 500-page autobiography

If ever a book title encapsulated the essence of what lies inside, ‘A True Story of Sorrows and Joys’ – the autobiography of Galway woman Margaret Beggen Dowling – does just that.

It’s the extraordinary account of a woman who traveled to the United States as a 19-year-old in search of a new life in the early 1950s, found love, then was struck by the first of two great tragedies of her life when her young husband died, leaving her a widow and the mother of two young children at the age of 28.

Shellshocked, she sold everything and returned to Ireland to pick up the pieces with her two little boys, soon buying a plot in Ballybane where she built a home for them.

Love came calling again after a few years when going to a wedding did indeed prove to be the making of another, a marriage that was to be blessed with the addition to the family of two girls.

But again joy turned to tragedy when her second husband died at the age of 55.

But Margaret Beggen Dowling was never one to give up on living and immersed herself in rearing her children and getting involved in all kinds of community activities, from the Girl Guides to setting up an active retirement group – her dedication to the community, mainly in the Ballybane-Mervue area, earned her a Mayor’s Award in 2014.

Encouraged by her family to share the extraordinary story of her life, Margaret, who honed her writing skills on a creative writing course in Ballybane and a number of years attending the Croí na Gaillimhe Creative writing classes, has spent the past four years penning her autobiography.

The 500-page book, including several photos and a number of poems, will be jointly launched next week by James Harold, Arts Officer with Galway City Council, and Margaret’s son Michael Beggen.

New York-based Michael’s own remarkable story is featured in the book – 15 years ago he was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which was treated with a number of operations and radiation therapy but continued to grow, leaving doctors to conclude there was little more they could do for him.

Then, three years ago, he paid a visit to Medjugorje … and shortly afterwards the tumour disappeared and has not returned.

■ ‘A True Story of Sorrows and Joys’ will be launched on Saturday, August 19, in Ballybane Library at 2.30pm, when copies of the book will be on sale and refreshments will be served. The Mervue Trad Musicians will entertain with a selection of traditional music.