I live in a small farming community in a place called Ardfield, which is situated about three and a half miles from the  seaside town of Clonakilty.  I have lived in Ardfield all my life.

In 1978 I had a very serious car accident.  The injuries of which changed my whole life. 

The accident happened on a January night while travelling on a road that I was unfamiliar with.  My car skidded on mud that was on the road after beet being loaded there by some farmer.

I was found by some people who were driving past.  They stopped and I was taken to Kinsale hospital.  After being examined I was shipped off to St. Finbars hospital Cork.

I was in St. Finbars hospital in Cork city and in Our Lady of
Lourdes hospital Dún Laoghaire Co. Dublin.  Between the two I was in hospital for a period of six months spread out over twelve months. 

I would like to thank all those who helped while in hospital and later while doing physiotherapy.  Of course thank you to all those who helped me out on the farm that year and the years to follow.

Later on as I did not have any work experience and could not get any employment, I saw an advert on a newspaper which advertised computer training in a school about 20 miles from me.  I answered the advert and spent my time there learning about business and computers.  I passed an exam at the end of it.