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An Irish Reunion for Former Cold Spring Resident and her Long-time Penpal
Sue Mawson and pen-pal Philomena Williams reunited after 44 years
Former Cold Spring resident Sue Eagleson Mawson and Philomena McCarthy Williams became Pen-Pals 52 years ago when they were both 14 years old. Sue lived in Philadelphia and Phil lived in Cork, Ireland. They corresponded regularly for eight years when Phil announced she was getting married and wanted Sue to come to her wedding. Sue is of Irish decent and had a dream to go to Ireland some day and was thrilled at the invitation. She planned the trip and took her 17-year-old sister, Molly, with her. They sailed on the RMS Mauretania in August 1964. Aided by snapshots, they met Phil for the first time on a street corner in Cork City. Phil lived in a tiny hedge-covered cottage with her parents and 7 brothers and sisters. Rectangles were cut in the hedge for the windows. The house overlooked vista of meadows and a narrow road with heavy sheep and bicycle traffic. They were escorted around the beautiful city by friends of Phil before the wedding and met with Phil's family and friends at the ceremony and reception at a lovely boat club on the waterfront. While touring Cork, they saw lovely gardens, a red-headed boy of 10 or so singing on the sidewalk for coins with his accordion, tried fish and chips in a newspaper cone and joined a "singsong" at a local pub. Sue and Phil had a short time to get to know each other before they had to leave. After they said goodbye to the McCarthys, Sue and Molly continued on to tour the country and search for the birthplace of their grandfather. Sue and Phil kept in touch and each had four children, three boys and a girl.
Christmas of '07, Phil wrote to Sue that she would be in New York City in March and wanted to get together. They were both very excited about seeing each other again. Sue and her son, Paul met with Phil March 2nd at her hotel near Times Square. They recognized each other immediately and had a lovely visit after 44 years!
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