But what about John Moore? Well Angela and I are standing in the Riley's family farmyard when Mrs Riley suggests "You should see old Willie Wray , he's one hundred and two, so he might remember John Moore - I know Willie is at home now" she says "As I've just passed him driving his tractor to his bungalow". Yes 102 year old Willie Wray, at the time of writing this, still drives his tractor.

So down the hill we went, back to the main Dungiven/Limavady road where the Bovevagh river meets the River Roe, to find Willie and his wife at their tea.

102 year old Willie Wray of Burnfoot Bovevagh "The best ploughman in the whole world" And here he is Yes Willie can remember John Moore "Went to Canada he did" As the two boys lived several miles apart they went to different schools. Willie went to Bovevagh School and John to Glenconway.

Apprenticed

When John Moore and Willie Wray left school in the 1910's they worked together and were apprenticed to various farmers in the area. Willie eventually joined his father and learnt the art of ploughing with two horses. This he continued to do until about 1940 "Willie Douglas once said I was the best ploughman in the whole world" we were told with a glint in his eye.

Meanwhile when the pair went their separate ways, Willie told us that "John served in various mills owned by the Nutt brothers from Limavady."

Willie also has memories of John's father (We're going back decades of memory now) Willie thinks that John's father, William H. Moore , used to drive a steam traction engine for Pattons of Ballykelly. And at times would bring the engine to the Bovevagh area for the threshing.

Marriage

He then went on to tell us that John married local Bovevagh girl, Jeannie Faulkner . And for the first few years of their married life they lived on the front of the main Dungiven to Limavady road. Later we discovered that the house was called the "Porter's Lodge" and stood at the entrance to Rosebrook House at Burnfoot. Nothing remains of it now.

82 year old Jeannie Wray. At this point, one person we mustn't forget in this tale of our search, is Willie's wife Jeannie. Jeannie Wray is 82 and sat quietly throughout our chat with her husband, knitting, listening and occasionally joining in. Anyone from Bellarena remember Jeannie? For that was where she went to school. "She was the hardest working wife in a hundred miles" said Willie with such pride. They don't make couples like that anymore.

But what of Jeannie Faulkner? Would there still be any of her relatives living in the area?