“I travelled to New York after the World Cup in 1994 and stayed with my cousin. At first, I thought I knew nobody, but I soon learned that ‘The Bronx’ was full of Irish people from Tullamore, including my future husband, John Hogan. A year before I came out, I met John at home in Tullamore and then bumped into him at a Sunday game at Gaelic park. A couple of more meetings and, as they say, the rest is history. We got married in Ireland in December 2005, which would be our last time to spend a Christmas there. We have two daughters, Lilly and Sophia. My sisters all followed me over, and we were known in the Bronx as ‘Charlie’s Angels’ as Charlie is my father’s name. My sisters and my husband’s family live in Pearl River, so it is hard to get lonely, but I do get homesick. Before Covid 19 struck, I was lucky to travel home for a month every year to see my family. I have worked in bars and restaurants for 26 years here and stayed with my second family at the ‘Punchbowl’ in the Bronx. I have met great people and have made lifelong friends. I love my life in New York. My sisters all have kids now, and we try to do family vacations when we can”.