Old Christening Dress

"This dress was discovered by me recently as I tidied away my deceased mother's clothes and handbags. She had a hand-written note saying "This dress was given to me when I was born (9.2.26). Julia Mc Swiney She was born Julia O'Shea, Derryleigh, Clondrohid, Macroom, Co. Cork. It is of sentimental value to me and my family as Julia kept this christening dress for her own daughter. However Julia went on to have six boys and one still-born girl. The baby girl was a half-twin, the doctors did not realise Julia was expecting twins so did not save her little girl in time! (1955) This dress symbolises the heart break of many mothers of that era-a time when many suffered in silence without the medical advances mothers now have. She wasn't allowed to be baptised as she was dead on delivery!"