Shamies descriptive powers

[andybrennan]

Hi sham I did laugh aloud at your description of young fellas knack of partaking in sport the show jumping I can still picture it being rider and horse at the same time slapping the arse off oneself, man that took me back as did a lot of the other stuff/
to all other subscribers I have also enjoyed your input.

Ger Collins Furlong It took me some time to put a face to your name any way happy birthday.

Mary McGrath how goes it ahh the days spent with your dad and Simon Doyle when they were training grey hounds on the gym field, an auld bike turned upside down with a few hunderd yards of string wound round the wheel rim, this string was taken to the end of the field with a dead rabbit attached, we lads were encourged by your dad to wind the string back onto the rim as fast as we could when Simon let the grey hound go, great memories of time spent in yer house good people,

to all other members and guests hi

[gercollinsfurlong]

Hi Andy
Have to agree with you about the posts to this site they all bring back lots of memories some i had forgotten and some i must admit have brought a tear to my eye because they brought back all my memories of being young [and that was not today or yesterday] also thanks for your wishes.


Geraldine

[maryfarrell6]

Hi Andy and Seamus'
couldn't agree with you more Andy the mental pictures built up by Shams descriptions of the show jumping were so true and I nearly cried from laughing so much because you boys really did whack yourselves so hard!!!I am waiting with baited breath for your next posts Sham
Andy are you the older brother of my good friend Tony R.I.P. who came to Wandsworth,London with me in the hot,hot summer of 1976?
Bye For Now
MaryF

[andybrennan]

Hi Mary

that I am .

[shamtheman]

Hi Folks,
Thanks for the kind words, which also apply to all those inputting on a regular basis. In truth, being an active member is very therapeutic. You know, In parts of the services for older people in which I'm involved, we run 'Memory Clinics' which is both a social and therapeutic way of remembering the things that meant something to you in your life, as well as actually exercising your memory. I don't fully understand the science of it, not being directly involved. However, Matthew McNamara has started up a 'Virtual Memory Clinic' all by himself, and thousands are now benefitting, and some therapeutically I'd say!

Anyway, a strange thing occured earlier this year. During the 'Bealtaine' festival, celebrating Older People and their contribution to society, I was visiting St. Patrick's Hospital in Cashel. I noticed some exquisite baby clothes, and was intrigued by them, so I asked to speak to the person who knitted them. I was introduced to a lady in her 90s, and she told me that they were not for sale (And these were astounding pieces of work) because she knitted them throughout the year for Adi Roche and her Chernobyl Children's Fund. Adi visited every autumn and took them to Chernobyl. I thought what a fine gesture for such an old woman. I then went on to look at other things. Another project was the 'Life Story Book', where older people were encouraged to remember the major events and moments in their lives and write them in a book form. I was reading one and lo and behold, it referred to her time spent on the Curragh Camp in the 1920s. The lady's name was Lila or Lily, so I asked to meet her. Who was she? That's right, the same lady who was the wonderful knitter! Her dad was a Sergeant Major (I think), and she could remember the lay out of the Camp better than I did! Keep an eye on this space, because I'll be writing about her again, with her permission, and perhaps introducing her to the 'Curragh History' family, God willing!

Sham

[kellquinn]

Hi all,
Sham that was an interesting piece about that lady having lived in the Curragh, dying to find out more. You never confirmed if I was right about the nicknames that I answered in your post about Jas.m while on Guard?, maybe a memory lapse. Hi to Andy welcome back I was beginning to wonder about you, thought that you had won the lottery and emigrated.
Remembering fires in the Curragh. There were a few major fires in the Curragh of which I remember. The Gym of course. The Old Catholic church which was situated in the field where the new all weather soccer pitch is now(Joe told me about that one!). The Boys Club in Ceannt, situated at the recyclying area near SSU. the Picture House in the Curragh,
O Donnells,(early 50s). The Cadets Mess in Mc Donagh(70s). The huts at the ranges set alight by the protesters to internment in 69/70, and the odd furze I lit myself.
I also remember in early 60s the roof of the Power Station in the Curragh taking flight during a big storm, and the number of tress that fell around the Camp was awesome, imagine I never had to relieve the coal yards of any Briquettes during that spell.

Regards
Joey

[kellquinn]

Remembering The Ice Cream early 60s.
Standing in the Garrison Mc Donagh Friday afternoon, Mick Dunne wearing his white shop coat with ACB emblazoned across the top left hand pen pocket, riddled with the marks of countless biros of all colours, Mick with the pen on his ear, me Ma having got the wages off me Da, usual Friday treat a 6d Ice Cream, Mick goes to the fridge takes out the block, opening each end and tearing down the strip in the centre revealing the snow white block with the Red ripples of Raspberry growing through the centre, my throat dry in anticipation of the first lick, usually from the top to the bottom and all around the Ice Cream. Mick takes the Measure and it draws fine lines through the Block, three lines for the tanner well known to me by now. Mick starts at the first line, unknowingly winks at me Ma! and proceeds to cut, myself heard all over the shop "thats only a twopenny" his sense of humour totally lost to me, he relents having had his little joke and cuts the three lines, the wafer placed lovingly each side of the appropriate cut and handed to me, "heaven", the Ice Cream totally now licked to death and the wafers now meeting each other and then the bite into the wafer. Oh what a memory.

Regards
Joey

[andybrennan]

How goes it Kell, no win large or small for me or mine live in hope.
have been keeping an eye on the forum but had other things occupying my mind.
Like Arnie I'm back.

do you remember how the furze bush was set alight and the person responsible would be long gone before ignition took place.

[rose5mcdonaghtce]

Hi Joey,

Do you remember the jug of water with the knife and the measure soaking, and the delight when you got your ice cream cut from a new block, always felt like you were getting more. One line 2d two 4d and the Super Size me 6d. When a 6d was bought in McAteers you always got a small sheet of greaseproof paper wrapped around it. If memory serves me right the fridges remained empty through the winter months, ice cream only being sold in the summer months. At the sports day the free ice cream was always the small tub, do you remember when the sun used to shine? becoming a distant memory now, the tubs would be starting to melt, Mick Dunne would arrive down in a little red van with the ice cream and it would be starting to melt, there would be little bubbles of air forming on top when you opened it.

There was a gent used to be with him worked for the ACB, cannot remember his name he had very sallow skin and curly hair (am not thinking of Paddy O'Connor ) he worked for a long time in the sixties around the garrison and dry canteen in McDonagh do you remember who he was.

Rose.

[kathyo]

hi all
joey i remenber mcdonnells burning dowen what a night that was
i can still see the flames.do you remenber every kid in the curragh
and a good few adults going down next day to see what wee could salvage
i remenber eating stuff smelling of smoke for weeks
all the best kathyo

[tomy sweeney]

hi mary f

i was scratching my head thinking which Farrell you are?
i was talking to my mother the other day and i think i have it now
is curly your sister, Imelda or am i on the wrong track altogether
you used to live on the top block in pearse very quite girls.
i think iam getting hooked on this web site because your mind goes back trying to remember your neighbors i have good memories of pearse and the people that lived their one thing that stands out is collecting stale bread for Mrs Hayes to give to her hens she used to give us 5s for our trouble happy days

[kellquinn]

Hi all and Kathyo
Remembering O Donnells burning down, I was only a little lad at the time and living in Plunkett and could see the blaze from the verandha, and remember my Da and other soldiers rushing down to assist the Fire Brigade in fighting the blaze, also remember me Da arriving home smelling of smoke and blackened to the back of his head, the fondest memory of that was the big box of Jacob's Marietta biscuits he succeded in rescuing from the blaze, possibly a token of thanks!!! from Bill O Donnell the proprietor of the premises.
Regards
Joey

[kellquinn]

Hi all.
Rose I do remember the jug of water with all the implements for the Ice Cream. The assistant you mentioned was named Peter and for the life of me I never got to know his second name, he was a nice man and often smuggled the extra tub to myself and Shanks.
Also remembering the Garrison, as you entered the door the vegetable racks on the right hand side, with the various selection of veg, albeit not what you would see in the current supermarkets of today, just the basics, Cabbage, turnips, parsnips, onions and the spuds, with the large basket of brussel sprouts at Christmas. In the glass faced immediately facing you contained the selection of meats, particularly bacon, with the Pigs head, and the trotters placed beneath the snout as though the poor pig was just resting on his paws. and the usual selection of spare ribs, sausages and sides of bacon, from which they cut the rashers from on the big Red bacon slicer, I oft watched in amazement at the deftness of Mick or Chrissie slicing the rashers and taking away without leaving a finger behind.
Then the Sweet counter also enclosed behind glass, with the 2d pies, money balls,black jack toffees, aniseed balls, cleeves toffee slabs, and the most delicious of all, the macaroon bar!.
Then the tiled floor always covered in saw dust. Again fond memories and a slice of daily life from the 60s

Regards
Joey

[kellquinn]

Hi Andy,
I well remember the old trick of getting rid of the furze, with the match acting as a fuse placed in the full box giving you plenty of time to get away. ( Of course I was only acting in those days as an environmentalist) keeping the furze from taking over the plains. The excitement then of watching the first puff of smoke from and innocent distance, and then the blaze. The putt, putt of the Military Police motorcycle going to investigate and possibly catch the culprit.
With you and the lads innocently pointing the PA in the opposite direction to catch the boyos.

Regards
Joey

[andybrennan]

Hi Kell.
Never saw that method but do remember those lads who the P.A.s followed that you sent in the wrong direction, they used to use two matches attached to the lower end of a butt of a fag same effect a delayed fuse

Andy