March 31st 1979 was a significant date in my life. At the time I was working for a large firm of engineers in Darty, Dublin 6. It was located in an old tram building and had been redsigned in a modern style. Looking back it was a good job and I was happy there. It was also just about ten minutes walk from my house. But at that time the culture was very much to chop and change jobs in the world of office work. There was lots to choose from and a move invariably meant an increase in pay.

I had acquired a job in an architects office, even nearer to home, about 5 minutes walk. (And the hours I've spent on the M50 in subsequent years!). I was moving for the princly sum of 25 pounds a week, an improvement from my previous 18 pounds.

On the 31st of March I handed in my notice in the engineers office. To celebrate and mark the day my friend and myself headed into town straight after work. Despite the fact that it was a Thursday night. First we went to Valentino's in Grafton Street and had our hair done. It was the first time I had had my hair cut really short. Then we went to Captain Americas for some food. We went to Bruxells for a drink and despite the fact it was a school night we ended up in McGonagles night club in South Anne Street, which was a regular haunt of ours.

A guy called Rob had been stalking my pal on the past few visits and he was there that night. We were sitting talking to him in one of the cubicles having a drink when we noticed a guy dancing nearby on his own, he seemed to be checking us out. He was quite the mover and giving it socks dancing away to Dire Straits, with a bottle in his hand.

Yes of course, it was Martin. He made his way over to us after a while and we started talking. He had been to a wedding (they ended earlier back then) and didn't want to go home so had ended up in McGonagles on his own.

As we all left the club at the end of the night my friend took off on the back of Rob's motorbike. Martin said he'd bring me home in a taxi. I was a bit in awe. He was a few years older than me and I'd only ever gone out with teenagers really. He had a proper job and he was from the NORTHSIDE!

We walked to Dawson Street and hailed a taxi. As the taxi made it's way over Portobello Bridge someone crashed into the back of the taxi. I was always grateful it was nothing serious. I can't imagine how I could have explained to my Dad how I had ended up in a taxi with a total stranger at God knows what hour of the morning.

Martin left me at the end of the Grove just peeping around the corner to see our house for the first time. Little did he know how much that house would feature in the coming years. I remember on that night he gave me his McGonagles membership card which had his photo on it. Maybe he thought that I'd forget what he looked like!

He had asked to meet me again but not until the following Tuesday night. For some reason this made me very suspicious. Were most dates not at the weekends? What was he doing all weekend? I even suspected that he may have been married. A lot of people would have been married by their early to mid 20's then.

I remember Jen coming into my bedroom on the Saturday morning (she used to come to see Mam and Dad with the kids then) and showing her the photo.

As you can predict, I did go to meet him on the following Tuesday night. I was more than a bit apprehensive as back then there were no mobile phones, we didn't have a house phone at the time so there had been absolutely no contact since the first meeting.

We met at 7pm in the Harp Bar in D'olier Street. I can still see him sitting there reading a newspaper as I walked the length of the bar. We dated for a while then, me being introduced to his family and Martin to mine.

In hindsight he must have been very keen. In the early years he had no car so a lot of money was spent on taxis and buses making the trip from Finglas to Rathgar. He even walked over in the snow one time.

A lot of time was spent with Mam and Dad and all the gang in Murphys at the weekends. We also went to Greece before we were engaged. Martin says it was so that he could be 'vetted' by Vera. But of course everyone loved him.

My sisters tell me that my Dad was very dubious at first. Martin was/is quite a character as you all know. I don't think my Dad knew what to make of him. But they went on to be great friends, they were drinking buddies on lots of days out and holidays both here and in Greece. And Martin always refers to him fondly as 'Daddy'.

I sometimes tease that as we met after midnight on the 31st of March, we actually hooked up on April Fools Day. Worked out ok though. We will be 40 years married in 2021. Where does the time go?