Ita McMichael 12/1/25 - 22/11/08

I t a was born in St James’s Drive in Belfast in January 1925, the second child of Jack and Catherine Bergin. Things weren’t always easy in the 20‘s and 30’s in Belfast and Ita soon knew the value of a strong supportive family. She spent time in her childhood with her Grandparents on a farm near Inver in Donegal and later she was to instill the same love of that place in her own children on family holidays there.

She attended St Catherine’s and then St Kevin’s primary schools and later St Domnic’s on the Falls Rd. She did a little teaching duties at Rosario Primary on Sunnyside St and also worked at the ‘Coop’ in York St before she entered her career in nursing at the Mater.

Wanting to expand her horizons in 1948 she travelled to England to East Grinstead, Sussex. There she tended to her patients, known as ‘guinea pigs’ - mainly airmen who had been burned in their cockpits during the War. Returning to Belfast she did Midwifery at the RVH but 1952 instead of taking up a post in Sligo she opted for midwifery in Ballycastle in the old Dalriada Hosp.

One night she and a friend went along to the Quay Rd Hall to join the Badminton Club. She met the Club Secretary, who insisted on getting her name and address as quickly as he could. He was a local pharmacist, James McMichael. Ita married James in 1953. Soon seven children arrived, all boys.

Despite bringing up 7 sons she always had other past times and over the years Ita got involved in the founding of Corrymeela, the local Writers Group, the Prayer Group and the Glynns Historical Society. She was great lover of Irish music and traditions and brought musicians to Corrymeela and held sessions in her own home.

The growing up years in the McMichael household weren’t always easy with so many boys around but Ita always poured calming oils on troubled waters. For anyone who knew Ita well during those years knew she was just as comfortable changing nappies as she was debating world affairs.

After boys had grown up she returned, at the age of 50, to midwifery in Ballymena and later came back to the Dalriada as a Staff Nurse. As one by one each son went off to University she missed the hustle and bustle but was always glad to see her family and their friends return on summers and holidays.

Ita always said she was blessed with her 7 sons but occasionally wondered if she would ever have a granddaughter. Along came the first grandchild in Galway, a boy and the second grandchild this time in Ballycastle, a boy, and so on until there was 7 boys again as grandsons – and Ita delighted in them all. Ita was so excited by grandchild No 8 in Wicklow – when she got news of the birth she drove into the town and told everyone she was now Granny to a new born baby GIRL!

She and James both took pleasure in creating individual special memories for all her grandchildren and loved their visits to Dun-a-mallaght and hearing all their news. Never having a daughter herself Ita found her daughter in laws were a terrific addition to her family.

Ita found writing a great outlet for expressing herself. In her retirement she gathered her poems together and the family have fond memories of her taking centre stage reading her poems at her book launch. The whole family were very proud of her writing. She loved the freedom that her writing gave her to explore memories and thoughts of Belfast, Donegal and Ballycastle and on her life experiences and being a mother.

Ita was very much an example of someone who could make people feel at ease and welcome and had a great understanding of human nature. She had a great sense of humour and would often be doubled over in laughter with the family around her. She was utterly devoted to her husband James and looked after him until his death just over 2 years ago. However her own health was also deteriorating. As with James’ passing, Ita will leave a huge gap in the McMichael family - she will be deeply missed by sons, Gerard, Malachy, James, Sean, Paul, Aidan and Eoin, their partners and by her sister Maureen, sister in law Mary, her brothers Aidan and Gerard and the wider family circle as well as her friends.

However the family are left with a wonderful memory of their mother, a strong Irish mother who instilled in them a sense of love, learning and an interest in all things around them as well as a sense of independence and practicality. They very much felt Ita’s understanding and unconditional love.

In Ita’s own words:

“...a sponge without its watery soul
shrivels and grows hard,
no longer functional or whole;
so Mothers, like human sponges, keep on absorbing,
wearing love like a garment..."

From her poem 'Mothers' in North Antrim Fields, Page 38