Ena McKinlay grew up in Kirkcaldy, Fife, just a short walk from the historic Fife Ice Arena. At just five years old, she first stepped onto the ice alongside her twin sister Greta and older sister Lucy. From then on, the rink became their second home. The girls would skate four times a week, paying just one shilling and six pence per session.
In one of Ena’s favourite family stories, she and Greta were once grounded for being naughty, but Lucy, determined not to miss a day of skating, helped them climb out of a bedroom window so the trio could head straight back to the rink.
Ena’s passion for skating carried her far beyond Fife. She went on to perform in spectacular ice shows across the UK and Europe, including a standout performance in Madrid in 1953. And it wasn’t just memories she made on the ice—Ena also met her beloved husband David at the Fife Ice Arena back when they were in their late teens, making it a place woven into the very fabric of her life.
This month, after 60 years, Ena returned to the same rink with staff and residents from Finavon Court Care Home. Though now in a wheelchair, she took to the ice and was delighted to glide round the rink once more whilst she sang ‘The Runaway Train’
Dawn Hunter, Service Manager at Finavon Court, shared: "Ena didn’t just visit the ice rink as a child — it was a huge part of her life and identity. To support her to return there after all these years shows that care home life can be full of meaning, adventure and opportunity. You're never too old to experience something magical, and we’re so proud to be part of making wishes like this come true."
Ena added:"The ice rink gave me so much—skating, unforgettable memories, and even my late husband. To be back there after all these years was overwhelming. I can’t thank everyone enough for making it happen."
As a special surprise, the Fife Ice Arena also invited Ena to return the following weekend to enjoy a special show which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Ena and the team at Finavon Court extends a grateful thanks to Fife Ice Arena for their generosity and hospitality in helping Ena reconnect with the place that shaped so much of her life.
If you would like more information on care home life at Finavon Court Care Home please visit www.holmes-care.co.uk/finavon-court or email finavon.manager@holmes-care.co.uk