Down the lane to Annie's
When I was told about Annie's house, I was eager to document it. Not just because of the house, but because of what I'd heard about her and her life. Her house may have been small, but her character was huge!
The home consisted of two rooms, one bedroom and one sitting room with a cooking area.
Walking into the living room, it was as if Annie had just left, everything was still there, as it had been left. A thin layer of dust covered everything. While Annie was alive, her neighbors, who were like family to her, look after the home and maintain it to this day, just as she did. It's really just like a film set.
The calendar is circled 22nd November 1993, this was the day she sadly passed away. Annie had no children and her husband had passed away some years before her.
Annie still seems present in this room, although I'm not sure if it's just because everything is still in the same place as it always was.
A huge animal lover, Annie kept goats, canaries, hens, a budgie, and 12 cats and a dog! You can still see footprints of hens and goats from when a layer of concrete was laid outside the cottage, it's a warming sight to see.
Annie with her dog Bunty. Bunty was very protective of Annie and was always by her side no matter what.
As you can see in this picture, Bunty is snarling at the person taking the picture! She meant business! Two weeks after Annie passed away, Bunty died of a broken heart because she missed her owner so much. I find this so sad.
Annie loved to sit in this corner. As you can see from the picture in the window, she was also a big fan of John Wayne.
There is a lot of resemblance between this house and the one in The Quiet Man in terms of size and appearance!
There are ornaments and trinkets adorning every surface, I'm sure they all hold special meaning and memories for Annie.
In a way, it's as if she is still here, and you can feel her presence.
A neatly stacked collection of cups, glasses, plates, and bowls as if ready for the next occasion.
The wall displays a picture of Annie's husband with pride.
The deer head weather barometer. This is so unique!
This warning is for Bunty, the guard dog!
The back of the door displays Annie's hat and small coat. Despite the house's small size, it resonates with Annie's spirit and you can still sense her warm presence there.
The house looks as if she had just left yesterday, not in 1993.
I loved looking at these photos it reminds me of my grandparents home in tyrone and the old people we used to visit when i was a child/ thank you!