Mary McDowell – known to all as Miss McDowell – had an unusual vocation, a medical vocation of sorts: principal physician at the Belfast Doll Hospital.

Based originally on Grosvenor Road but later relocated to 24 Sandy Row, the Doll Hospital was the place to go if your child’s precious toy was in need of expert care and attention.

The hospital itself was little more than a room lined with shelves of dolls, all awaiting the attention of the small woman seated at a plain table behind a sewing machine.

Bhí post aisteach ag Mary McDowell - nó Miss McDowell mar a thug daoine uirthi - post leighis de chineál éigin: príomhlia ag Otharlann Bábóg Bhéal Feirste.

Bhí sí suite ar Bhóthar Grosvenor ar dtús, bogadh Otharlann na mBábóg go 24 Rae na Gainmhe, agus ba é sin an áit le dul ann má bhí cúram agus aire de dhíth ar bhréagáin do pháistí.

Ní raibh san ‘otharlann’ ach seomra le seilfeanna a bhí lán le bábóga, agus bhí siad uilig ag fanacht ar aire ón bhean bheag a bhí ina suí ag gnáth-thábla taobh thiar d’inneall fuála.

A ‘good living woman’ who never smoked or drank (“well, hardly ever,” she would admit with a smile), Miss McDowell (1935–2003) was revered across the city (and indeed further afield) for her skill in nursing dolls of every kind back to health.

She reattached wayward limbs, restrung parts and repaired outfits that had seen better days. And for a doll in need of a fashion makeover, Miss McDowell could be counted upon to create a new made-to-measure costume fit for any playtime parade.

Her sewing and embroidery skills were also put to another use, producing collarettes for Orangemen. (Indeed, it was said that every man in Sandy Row had a collarette made by Mary McDowell.)

Miss McDowell married once, though her husband died young and they did not have children. When asked if she would ever think of marrying again, she dismissed the idea out of hand with a laugh, adding with a wink, “unless a toy boy comes along”.

‘Good living woman’ a bhí inti, níor chaith sí toitíní agus níor ól sí (“well, hardly ever,” a d’admhaigh sí agus aoibh an gháire uirthi). Bhí ardmheas ar Miss McDowell (1935-2003) ar fud na cathrach (agus níos faide amach) as na scileanna a bhí aici le haire a thabairt do bhabóga d’achan chineál go raibh siad ina sláinte arís.

D'athcheangail sí géaga ar strae, d’athshreangaigh sí codanna agus dheisigh sí feistis a raibh cuma na scríbe orthu. Agus do na bábóga siúd a raibh nuamhaisiú faisin de dhíth orthu, thiocfadh le daoine a bheith ag brath ar Miss McDowell le feisteas nua saincheaptha a chruthú a bheadh fóirsteanach d’am súgartha.

Baineadh úsáid as na scileanna fuála agus bróidnéireachta s’aici le coiléiríní a dhéanamh do na Fir Bhuí fosta. (Ar ndóigh, dúradh go raibh coiléirín a rinne Mary McDowell ag achan fhear ar Rae na Gainmhe.)

Phós Miss McDowell uair amháin, ach fuair a fear céile bás go hóg agus ní raibh páistí acu. Nuair a cuireadh an cheist uirthi an mbeadh suim aici duine ar bith eile a phósadh, dhiúltaigh sí don smaoineamh, “unless a toy boy comes along”, ar sise ag déanamh gáire agus ag caochadh a súile.