Memories of 9/11, by Jim Nolan

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Sunday Miscellany 9 min 7 chapters transcribed 11 hours ago

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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

How did the Californian couple arrive in Dublin and meet their guide?

Jim Nolan 0:00

Dublin Bay was bathed in brilliant late summer sunshine as the large cruise ship edged its way to its berth at Alexander Basin on the north wall of Dublin Port. Among the arriving passengers were a Californian couple, I will call them John and Maureen Murphy, who were coming home to Ireland to make a long planned trip to the land of their ancestors. I was on the quayside that morning with a sign displayed in the window of my car, Mr. and Mrs. Murphy, waiting to take them on an extended trip around Ireland. No matter how long you are in the business, it's always a little nerve-wracking waiting for that initial contact with the people you are about to spend 10 days of your life with. Finally, after what seemed like an age, I noticed a well-dressed middle-aged couple making their way towards me.

Jim Nolan 0:49

Yes, it was indeed the Murphys. And from the initial contact and introductions, I knew instinctively I was in the company of two very nice people, and with an air of relief, I looked forward to the week ahead. I loaded our luggage into the car, and we headed west out of the city onto the Galway Road for our first overnight destination, which was to be Ashford Castle. As lunchtime approached, we were still about an hour out from Galway City. I suggested to the Murphy's, a lovely seafood restaurant, Moran's on the Weir, just outside Claremont Bridge, for them to have lunch. They asked me to join them for lunch, but I declined.

What was the first reaction when the 9/11 news broke during lunch?

Jim Nolan 1:26

I always feel clients need some private time together. I made my way to the local petrol station, where I bought a sandwich and turned on the car radio. RTÉ Radio 1's live line was about midway through when the broadcast was suddenly interrupted for a breaking news story from New York. Journalist Niall O'Dowd came on the air with a story that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in Manhattan. The first reports were quickly followed by a further report of a second plane hitting the other tower and the gravity of the situation began to dawn on everyone. I drove back to Moran's and a short time later I saw Maureen Murphy come out from the restaurant and walk slowly over to the water's edge and stand looking out into the distance.

Jim Nolan 2:12

I approached her and asked her, was everything okay? She said yes, they had enjoyed their lunch and John was inside settling the bill.

How did the guide break the tragic news to John and Maureen Murphy?

Jim Nolan 2:18

Had they heard the news I asked? She said they hadn't. I began to tell her of the events unfolding in New York, of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers and her immediate reaction was, oh my son, oh my son. Her son was a successful lawyer in his early 40s, married with a young family. He worked for one of the big law firms high up in the North Tower. I never thought for one moment what personal tragedy the news I was breaking to her was to bring to this woman I'd only met hours earlier. It was as if the mother's instinct within her knew immediately that things were far worse than we then knew. She was visibly shaken and upset. I escorted her over to the car and tried to reassure her of things that might not be as bad as we first thought.

Jim Nolan 3:04

Then I went into Moran's to look for John. He was inside finalising the bill. I pulled him aside and broke the news to him and told him Moran was out in the car and very upset and concerned about the safety of their son.

Why did the Murphys decide to head straight to Ashford Castle after learning about the attacks?

Jim Nolan 3:17

We went back out of the car to join her and we decided to head directly to Ashford Castle. As their concerns grew they mentioned their son's wife at home in New York and I offered the use of my cell phone to make contact with her. From what I could hear of their conversation the poor lady on the other end of the phone was distraught. She was at home with her small children and having heard the news had tried unsuccessfully to contact her husband at his office in the Twin Towers. While we drove northwards the news reports from New York were getting worse by the minute. Maureen was getting more and more upset in the back of the car. I suggested I turn the radio off, but she said no, she had to listen.

Jim Nolan 3:59

I rang ahead to Ashford Castle and explained that clients I was driving would be arriving within the hour and were to be brought straight to their rooms.