"It was so wonderful to see the mountains"

"I CAME to Ireland purely by chance," says Katarina Halpin (nee Mosgen). My younger sister was supposed to go but she got cold feet at the last minute. I left Germany in September 1946 on her documents and so I was known as Anna Marie until people got used to calling me Kati.

"My family and I lived in a cellar when the war ended. Our, home had been completely destroyed as had most of the rest of our town of Julich near Aachen. We got ration cards and grew what we could in our garden but it wasn't really enough.

"I don't remember much about the journey to Dublin, just that I enjoyed it. When we got to Glencree it was so wonderful to see the mountains and all the greenery around St Kevin's. All we were used to was rubble back home.

"One thing I remember vividly about that time is the food. We couldn't get meat in Germany and suddenly we were being fed these hearty stews, good solid food, and desserts like tapioca and semolina.

"Potential foster parents used to come and look at us in Glencree. I had short hair and was slightly pudgy. Mr and Mrs Byrne, the couple who chose me, lived in Griffith Avenue in Dublin. They had no other children and I think that suited us both.

"I returned to Germany after three years but I was so close to my foster mother, and we had so much in common, that I wanted to come back. My mother agreed and, though we kept in touch when I went back to Ireland, my ties here became stronger; I got married when I was 19 and had two children.

"I know my foster mother would have really enjoyed this celebration but she passed away several years ago. I can't wait because I am hoping to meet people that I haven't seen for ages. We will be like evacuees again wearing name tags".