Catherine Cleere my grand mother 30th June 1914 departing Kingstown for France

"Catherine Cleere left Donagmore Laois on 30th 1914 to work as a governess to Masurel Rasson family. This stylish photo was taken before she boarded ship for France and on close inspection you can see Kingstown now called Dunlaoighre written on image. I am her granddaughter from Robertstown and have researched and visited the house worked in Tourcoing near Lille. She mentioned in her letters and diary how sad it was during the war not hearing from her Irish family back in Donaghmore Co.Laois as restrictions were imposed re post to foreign visitors in the country by the Germans. She described how the war impacted on the family and house at the time. Catherine spoke fluent French and I have in my possession her French Dictionary. She prayed to Saint Patrick during the war something she never did while in Ireland. She heard the cannons roaring and soldier's on their weary marches shut in the big house in Tourcoing. She was born in Clough Ba!lcolla on 22th March 1885 and died on Good Friday 16th April 1954 She is buried with her sister Margaret who was also a governess in Montmirail Castle 1906-1918 outside Paris. I have visited the Castle in Montmirail in 2013 and again in 2014 talking to the owner Catherine De Buffefant acquainting myself with all the history of the place. The sisters Catherine and Margaret are buried in Clough with my mother Catherine Cummins. On the headstone is inscribed that the ladies were in France during the First World War 1914-1918. "