A phone call brings Roisin back to Drumaness for first time in years

A phone call brings Roisin back to Drumaness for first time in years

19 December 2012

FROM the moment she got off the plane from America, to be personally greeted by an all-singing all-dancing gospel choir, Roisin Monroe hasn’t stopped smiling.

Among her first priorities were Cadbury’s chocolate, fish and chips, a pint of Guinness and Brennan’s ice-cream. Anything after that, she says, is a bonus.

But surpassing the local gastronomic delights, however, is the much longed for time with her family at Christmas — which wouldn’t have been possible without a competition run by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB).

Roisin, originally from Drumaness, began living in America from the age of 18, is now married with two children and living in Ohio, and last spent Christmas in Northern Ireland 11 years ago.

So when her niece, 18 year-old Shannen McCusker, saw details of NITB’s ‘Fly Them Home’ campaign on Facebook, which offered free travel home for relatives abroad, she decided to enter. Shannen’s grandfather had a stroke last year and in her entry she explained that she wanted to surprise her grandparents this Christmas.

Shannen’s surprise at winning was eclipsed, however, by Roisin’s shock, when she received the news during a ‘Face Time’ session over the internet.

“My husband and I were shopping in Walmart when my sister Andrea got in touch wanting to do Face Time, and could we get home at a certain time,” said Roisin. “I thought they must all be going to sing us Christmas carols or something like that. Then Shannen came forward and said what had happened and my mouth just hung open, then I cried. It was complete disbelief.

“I had just been saying to my husband I am really ready to go home. Every time it’s mentioned I think, I can’t take the kids. Maybe I can afford myself, maybe I can take one this time, maybe one down the line. But this is a Christmas miracle. I feel so fortunate and blessed.”

Roisin said she and children Kaeli-Ann (9) and Branden (12), had been “on a complete high” for the past three weeks and trying to spread a little happiness themselves.

“We’ve been trying to do little things at home for other people to feel we are giving something back, such as giving presents, or if we see anybody down just wanting to lift them up,” she explained.

Looking back at when she left Drumaness as a teenager in 1992 with $75 dollars sewn into her pocket Roisin said she little realised how much her life was going to change.

“I had never been away from home and I wanted to travel,” she said. “I sewed the money into my jeans as I thought everybody pick pocketed in New York.”

Originally working as a nanny, after a brief spell back home Roisin returned, later marrying husband James and currently working in the customer services department of a large store.

And while trying to pack in as much sightseeing as possible during her short trip home, she says the most important thing has been spending time with family.

“The whole experience has been amazing, from the VIP treatment on the plane, to the Belfast Gospel Choir on our arrival, but the whole thing for us is having this opportunity to remember.

“We feel so fortunate. My kids are not going to be kids much longer and they will always have this time to remember with my parents. And they are so right at home spending time with their cousins.

“We do Face Time and texts but to see my kids with my parents is just amazing. You just can’t substitute hugs.”