O'Higgins Road

[Aisling]

Did anyone reading this, live in O'Higgins Road?

[Aisling]

Hi all,

We (the Treacy kids and me) used to play Jack, Jack down on O'Higgins Road, the walled in area in front of the gym used to be great for hiding around in the dark. Think it was an exercise place for the army. Is that right? Unfortunately like most other good things, it's gone now. Brought back memories when read of someone telling of them playing it up in McDonagh. Had forgotten half this stuff.

[rtreade]

Aisling,

Now that you have confirmed that I lived on O'Higgins Rd (Thank You) I can remember some of the games we used to play there too: among the most popular had to be Kick The Can (played between the allwyway) between the two houses, and out the back playing "Show Jumping" where each person was both the horse and rider!

[Aisling]

Richard,

We used to play one in the alleyway too with a can, can't remember, much about it to be honest, reading through this website brings back things you haven't thought of for years.

[Sean Tracey]

;DHi Aisling Do you remember kicking ball in the alleyway between yours and Sparrows it must have driven everyone mad ,all the best to you ,your Mum and Mossie i think of O H iggins Road often when your were all small children. Cheers Sean Tracey

[rose5mcdonaghtce]

Hi Sean,

Rose here just wondering how many years your Mam and Dad RIP lived on O'Higgins Road.

[Sean Tracey]

Hi Rose . I think that we moved in 1960 and Mum and lived there up and until they passed Mum in1998 and Dad in 2005 my sister Carmal still lives there Cheers Sean Tracey.

[rose5mcdonaghtce]

Hi Sean,

Thanks for that, just wanted to settle a small dispute, knew your family were living there when we used to go swimming at a very young age, can remember your Dad was usually out and about the house doing bits and pieces. It must be lovely when you come home and can actually spend time in the home you were reared in all the happy memories.

Rose

[S]

Hi Rose. It is nice to come back but also very sad in some ways. Mum and Dad are no longer there the general state of the Camp is discusting how could any Goverement let such an area such Historical value get like that is beyond me. However it is where we were all born and reared and it is something i am very proud of no matter where i go in this world i will be always be very proud of my Curragh Camp roots as should we all. Sean Tracey

[rose5mcdonaghtce]

Hi Sean,

Am sure it must be very sad when the parents are not there, however when I go in to the Camp now its like McDonagh was never there, but when I stand there and close my eyes I can hear the band playing, kids shouting with glee as they played and see it all in my mind.
No matter what they demolish and destroy they won't take away the wonderful memories we Campers have of a place that was once an outstanding community. I am very proud also to be a Camper, I loved every minute growing up. As I have said before there's nothing like the sight of the church steeple and tower on the approach to what I will always see as my home. As we used to chant when we were kids

"UP THE CURRAGH EVERY TIME"

Rose

[rtreade]

Rose, What a lovely image to conjur up, like you anytime I pass through the Curragh, I feel very lonely for what used to be. It is very hard to explain to anybody who never saw the Curragh in the 60's and 70's that this was a vibrant community, full of kids playing, real neighbours chatting to each other, Mothers spending time polishing the front step (do you remember that tradition where you would polish your front step Green or Red), leaving your door open 24 x 7 and woe betide the person who done wrong on you or your neighbours. While the men by and large soldiered, I think it was the rest of the people on the camp who formed a very strong bond, a bond that time alone can not destroy. It is with great affection that I read the posts here, without fail I am 10 again, short back and sides from Reggie, reading comics from Easons and playing in the field behind the baths I am so proud of my roots - apart from allowing me to leave any door open (to the response were you born on the curragh?) I grew up in a time that was special. Times might have been tough but as we all knew no better it did not matter as far as I am concerned they were the times when we was fab and we had the times of our lives there you can take the people out of the Curragh, but you can never take the Curragh out of the people. Like Sean says earlier, it is so sad to see half of the Curragh gone - I watched with tears in my eyes the day before the demolished our old house in Ceannt, I walked through my old house with its floral wallpaper and remembered the day my Ma and Da put it up. I touched my old mantlepiece and remembered my Da creating a speckeled affect on it with two or three old tins of paint and a matchstick. I walked into the kitchen and flinched as I remembered dropping a can of paint on my toe (and getting a week off school and all the Lucozade I could drink). They may tear it down bit by bit, but in my mind and heart it is still the same as the day I left

[rose5mcdonaghtce]

When you walk passed the girls school now you would never dream there were three blocks of married Quarters just across the road. Its dreadful to see a green there, but not quite as bad as before they knocked the blocks down. Went in one summer's evening for a walk about ( do that from time to time ) and walked down through the deserted blocks, windows broken, slates from roofs everywhere, water gushing in most of the houses. I literally felt as though my home had been burgled and vandalised, it was heart breaking to see such a sight. I felt guilty, like we had all deserted and let this terrible thing happen. It was so eerie, lonesome and miserable looking like an animal that needed putting out of its misery.
Prefer to see the green than the delapidation of our former homes.

Rose

[Sean Tracey]

Hi Rose This echos what i was saying , perhaps people will look at our postings in years to come and say What lot of sentimental old fools they were back then but as Richard said you can take the person out of the Curragh but you cant take the Curragh out of the person. My two daughters are London born and reared but they even love to come to the Curragh,they frequently ask me about our lives growing up there and cant get there heads around some of the stories i tell them. Cheera Sean Tracey.

[higginsroad]

hows it going there Sean and everybody else
just looking at the header' O Higgins Road' I am one of the Dinger Dwyers-the young lad(long time since I was referred to as young) who lived just up from the baths. we lived beside the Sweeneys. O Neils the Sheens and the the school teachers houses-Butt Mc Cormack and Bob Ford.
I am in the Curragh about once a week-my daughter does gymnastics in the gym but as you all said it always brings back great memories, great to see all the old heads on this site and hope to talk more.
all the best,
dinger
























o Higgins Road'

[Gene Stokes]

Hello Dinger Dwyer if it is the same dinger that hung about with me pat galvin,lofty dwyer.harper,synnot,hitler o'neill,nice to hear from you terrific memories of the baths and the gym and the flagans of cider,hope life is good to you.Gene