shamtheman

[annedolan]

"sham"
I sent you a personal message at the begining of this week revealing your identity, please let us know if I was correct.
Love to all family and friends in The Curragh.
Aunty Anne

[shamtheman]

Anne and Dave,
If you're keeping up to speed on the site you will know you're correct.

Anne, you should be able to tell a few stories about you're time behind the counter in Easons. When would that have been, late 50s?

Easons, where about this time of year, us boys would digress past the shop window every evening on the way home from school to ogle at the Christmas wonders: Winchester Repeater Rifle (to die for), Blue Boy (High Chapparal) Cowboy Hat, and so on. The window always appeared massive to small wide eyes, and stimulated the mind to think of the wondrous days to come. And the sheer thrill and excitement of Christmas morning, still pitch black, mouth open ,eyes wider still, to find that Santy did read that letter after all, and beside the Winchester was indeed the Blue Boy Hat, along with the regulation Cowboy Suit, a few rolls of caps and, of course, the Cadbury's Selection Box! What joy followed after Mass, as we flocked in droves (in reality about 20 at most) to the far furze for shoot outs that made the OK Corral look like a tea party, and amazingly we all knew when it was time for the Christmas Dinner, and not a watch between us. Jas would be in around the same time after the few pints in Ceannt Mess (remember how all the messes opened for two hours on Christmas Day?), and we all sat down to hear Jas make his Annual State of the Nation Address, and afterwards carve the turkey. And we all oblivious to the near impossible task it must have been for Betty to get the feast to the table given the technology (lack of it) back then, and yet I remember her as always enjoying it the most!
Then all the Dolans would arrive in the afternoon for drink, chat and watching the Maureen Potter Christmas Special. We went to Ma Dolan's on Stephens' Day.
Isn't it amqazing that, given the span of time between the 60s and now, and all the changes that have taken place in this country, and the move from every kid on the block being out and about on Christmas morning to the sedentary gadget-oriented Christmas of today, that the only common thread left is the Cadbury's Selection Box! And I always sneak the Curly Wurly still.