My mother was born on a tiny farm in County Mayo. She was meant to stay at home and look after the farm while her brother and sister got an education. However she came to England on a visit and never went back.
And as I grew older I then auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music in London and they said well no we won't accept you because we haven't a clue - you know - of the future of a so-called 'deaf' musician. And I just couldn't quite accept that.