Mayfield couple Charlie and Frances Wilkins recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, and their daughter Iris looks back on their lives together and the family they built.
Though Charlie is known across Ireland for his gardening expertise, she revealed that it was in fact her mother Frances who kept their own garden in a beautiful condition.
Iris recalled: “Charlie Wilkins met Frances Nodwell the summer of 1961 at a dance in The Boat Club in Blackrock.
“Dad was one of four children who hailed from Mount Farran in Blackpool and mam, who hailed from Iona Place in Mayfield, was one of 16 children.”
Charlie and Frances Wilkins on their wedding day, October 24, 1964.
Frances worked for Ideal Weatherproof until she got married, while Charlie started in the Cork Examiner office in 1955 at the age of 16 and worked his way up to become the foreman in the print room, where he worked until his retirement in 1995 after 40 years’ service.
Newspapers
He was also the gardening correspondent with the Cork Examiner and the Evening Echo as well as several other newspapers around Ireland and even some based in London.
Iris said: “He is extremely well known on the gardening scene as he ran garden clubs and classes in Ashton and Cope Foundation for over 20 years.
“He also travelled the length and breadth of the country attending garden clubs as guest speaker, including Inniskillen, Galway, Clare, Limerick, Waterford, Wexford and all over Cork county.”
After meeting at a dance, the couple continued going to dances together, Iris said, explaining: “They loved going to dances especially the Arcadia and the St Francis Hall.
Charlie and Frances Wilkins.
“They would have went to a dance once a week, as back in those days courting involved long walks and they often took mam’s sisters along. They only met up two or three times a week, not daily like nowadays.”
Charlie was very involved in the Model Aeroplane Club and was the Ireland Champion in 1966 for scale model aircraft and Frances enjoyed this interest with him. He was also a member of the Cork Scooter Club and would take Frances out for spins.
Married
On October 24, 1964, they got married in The Church of Our Lady Crowned, and they have lived opposite this church in Mayfield since then.
Iris said: “When they started their family the house and garden became the focal point of their interests and even though dad became known as the famous gardener it was actually mam that kept the garden in such beautiful condition.”
She added that their parents “gave us all a great work ethic and taught us some valuable morals which we all stand over today. Work hard, have the talks and don’t bottle things up, always be honest and kind, have your faith and always be the best version of you.”
Charlie and Frances Wilkins on their 60th wedding anniversary with their Best Man Noel Wilkins and Matron of Honour Phil Sheehan.
Charlie and Frances had six children – Iris Wilkins, Ronny Power, Valerie Brennan, Charlie Wilkins and twins Peter Wilkins and Lesley O’Donoghue.
They now also have 15 grandchildren, Dani, Tyrone, Jordan, Isaac, Kate, Tori, Emily, Charlie, Nicole, Shay, Ryan, Olive, Clodagh, Ronan and Darragh.
Mass
On the occasion of their 60th Wedding Anniversary the family arranged a Mass and a Special Blessing by Fr Charlie Kiely in the church where they were married followed by celebrations in the Vienna Woods Hotel, Glanmire.
The event was attended by all of their family and close friends.
“It was an honour for them to still have their Best Man, Noel Wilkins, and Matron of Honour, Phil (Nodwell) Sheehan in attendance,” said Iris.
“Their love has spanned six decades and through life’s ups and downs it has remained unshaken. But their story didn’t write itself overnight! Hard work, long talks, love and respect for each other handcrafted their 60 year bond.”
App?
