À la recherche du temps naïf.

I remember as a child back in the early 50's, I often visited this farm labourer's cottage to see a friend. Such cottages in Ireland were known as "tied" cottages, as the tenancy was tied to the farm job and the rent offset against the dirt -poor wages.
My friend and I both attended a small country primary school, with around 30 other pupils in total. When he first came to the school, he stood out, as it was obvious he came from "the other" culture. I liked him immediately and not just because he had an endless supply of western comics, something my parent's would have frowned upon. Even then I was an avid reader of Zane Grey stories.
Sadly he did not stay too long and his family left the townland, along with his treasure trove of comics.
Our lives took separate paths and he in turn also became a farm labourer, despite his intelligence, which no doubt could have taken him further.
Looking again at this ruined cottage, it reminds me of how chance plays such a part in life and how as children, we are not naturally prejudiced against those from a different culture.
No doubt this cottage would have been considered superior to the rough-built thatched cottages of the previous era. Really, it is and was a two-room hovel.