Recalling the fear of the demise of world I knew

I have a memory of 1940, at the age of nine, in my hometown of Westport, going up James’ Street. Someone shouted "the Germans have landed in Achill, they will be here tomorrow." I felt stunned: the future in ruins, houses empty, a home no longer a home.

Now it is 2015. Acknowledging the perspicacity of Mary Kenny’s referendum prediction (Catholic Herald, March 27) that “the poll will be low, the outcome close”, brought to mind the same fear: the demise of the world I know, that marriage will be now whatever one deems it to be.