May 1965… Ann Hanahoe was a little bewildered when her M future husband, Mick, told her that her birthday present was outside. Even when she stepped out into the street she was still confused until he pointed to a battered-looking, black MG TD and told her it was hers. “It hadn’t been respected very well. Whoever had had it before just drove it into the road and it didn’t look as if it was in good shape,” she said.
Nevertheless, it had been in even worse shape when Mick had bought it several weeks previously. An engineer by trade, he had fettled the engine and sent the torn leather seats away to be re-trimmed in an attractive burgundy colour. While it may have still looked rather tired, it ran well, even if it was, Ann recalls, rather slow.
The couple were married the next year, and had many happy years with their four children and the MG, travelling the length and breadth of Ireland, even taking it onto their barge and sailing up and down the Shannon. Getting the car onto the boat, with a series of planks
