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Post by jjcurran on Aug 29, 2011 8:58:45 GMT
Hi Ray, JJ Curran here, good to hear from you. I remember Mr Feely, the shoemaker well. My dad used to buy leather from him to repair our shoes. To stitch the leather, the thread was made up by rolling together strands of hemp on your knee and then pulling a ball of black wax through it. My job was to hold one end of the hemp while my father pulled the wax through it. I would lose concentration from time to time (as I would more than likely be listening to “Radio Luxemburg, 208 meters medium wave and 49.26 meters short wave, your station of the stars”)and let the hemp go which would be followed by a few growls from my dad. The leather was usually steeped in water overnight to make it soft and easier to shape/cut. Studs or segs were put in the soles to make the shoes last longer. We used to have fun sliding on the studs on the concrete paths in Ceannt and got delight when we caused sparks to fly from our boots. We generally wore boots except on Sundays . We must have looked a sight in our corduroy lumber jackets and short pants which were bought on the never never from Mr Sloane. I can remember the smell of newness off them. We were of course completely oblivious to the difficulties our parents had finding money for all our needs. God belss them all. Regards JJ
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Post by rose5mcdonaghtce on Aug 29, 2011 15:53:16 GMT
Hi J J
Mr. Feeley was'nt the shoemaker, that was Mickey Sheehan, the jeweller you mentioned was a Jewish Man who was in the shop before Mr. Feeley, who had everything from a needle to an anchor, he did a bit of everything, I don't remember the jewellers but Joey Kelly does. Mickey Sheehan ran his shoe making business on the Camp well into the 70's, his brother had a shop in Newbridge and only gave up when he passed away about four or five years ago.
Mickey Sheehan was the man of the long long long long......................... engagement, he never married the lady in question, but was engaged as long as I could remember.
We too had the studs in the soles of our winter shoes and the toes cut out of our sandals in summer.
The corduary suits on the boys I remember well, usually brown in colour, snail like patterns from nose wiping on the sleeves. The black duffel coats and the balaclavas, the red rings on the legs from the wellies.
Rose.
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Post by andybrennan on Aug 29, 2011 21:18:25 GMT
J.J. / Rose
The jeweler shop, Cross was his name if my memory serves me right.
The duffel coat, was it myself or did others experience this. When the top toggle was closed I was always left gasping for air, and what about the mittens, socks with a thumb piece knitted in and all held together by a long string of wool that ran from one sleeve to the other.
Andy
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Post by nickey on Aug 29, 2011 23:34:06 GMT
Hi All.
On Tuesday last I visited the Curragh museum for the first time. On entering the building, I was made to feel decidedly welcome by the young soldier on duty there. I spent the following hour or so viewing and digesting the excellently presented content. I was saddened too, as I privately reminisced at each of the exhibits that reminded me of my growing up on the camp.
At the Commandant J.J.O'Reilly exhibit, I was taken back to the day of his enormous funeral. At only 34 years of age, he died following an injury he received during a football match in 1952.
My memory as an 8year old, recalls both sides of the road from the hospital and along the road at the cinema, the bakery and the power station as far as Plunket Bks lined with soldiers. Their rifles reversed and their heads bowed solemly, as the cortage passed slowly between them, led by a large military band, to the sad strains of Handel's funeral march, "The Dead March from Saul". From our ringside locations, myself and my other 8year old friends peeked out from between the long green line of soldiers, at the tri colour draped coffin as it passed by on its final journey. I was so close, that I could have reached out and touched it.
On a lighter note though, no pun intended, I was very pleased to be reacquainted with the beautifully restored grand piano. I was surprised to discover that the piano's first home wasn't the No 3 army band. In fact, it was brought to Ireland by the British army in 1907 and following their withdrawl from Ireland in 1922, it was only then taken into use by the A.S.M. What a wonderful piece of history. Wouldn't it be marvellous, if a recital could be given on that piece of British and Irish history in its new home. I think the acoustics in the high ceilinged room would be ideal.
The last time I saw the piano, was in May 1964 when I departed the Curragh band and its amazing professionals. I remember it then, as an untidy and badly needing re-polishing piece of furniture. Lots of great music was played and composed on it though. Ireland's first entry into the eurovision song contest "Walking the Street in the Rain" was composed on it.
Mainly the piano was an unofficial general office for the band members, where they would stand or even lean against and do their clerical business. Meetings were convened at it and decisions made. Letters to girl friends and family were written on it. Tea and coffee and other beverages were drank at it. Sandwiches and many other foods were consumed at it and any card game you could think of, was played on that grand piano. Amazingly though, for a piano/office that attracted so much activity, it is hard to believe at this remove, that we even played some great and lengthy games of chess on it. In any event it survived somehow and has been restored to its original magnificence and stands proud in its very proper prominent position in the museum.
To take a slightly negative curve, I would have liked if there were more photographs of civilian life on the camp. After all, soldiers families have always played an integral part in all aspects of military life. That observation does not in any way, diminish my pride and enjoyment in the whole museum project. Very well done to all involved, from the first brave thought, through to success and reality.
Before calling to the museum, I took a sentimental slow drive through the camp and I was shocked to discover how so much of my beloved Curragh has disappeared. I do understand why disused and empty buildings must be either boarded up or demolished, but that calm understanding was of no consolation to me.
The quiet of the camp I also found to be remarkable and a bit eerie. When I was growing up on the Curragh, every corner you turned you would be greeted with a new gathering of children, young and very young, big and small. Each group would be playing and entertaining themselves in a different way to the previous gathering and the one common denominator, they were all happy and content. On Tuesday last, the only young people I met, were playing with toy scooters on the wide footpath at the front of my old place, Clarke WOs Qrs.
Just one more thing if I may. Why is the once magnificent Marion Shrine, in such a neglected state? I was at the opening ceremony of the Shrine, I think it was 1954. Along with others, we were seated in tiered seating against the wall of the water tower.
Beat wishes to all,
Nick Cunningham.
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Post by jjcurran on Aug 30, 2011 0:19:43 GMT
Hi Rose, Andy Yes Mr Sheehan was the shoemakers name. I remember him in a brown shopcoat which was about two sizes too small for him. There was a strong smell of leather mixed with sweaty shoes in the shop. With regard to the patterns on the corduroy jacket sleeves, I was told that the reason why the British Army Red Coat uniform had rows of buttons on the sleeve was to deter the soldier from the practice of wiping his nose with it. Just thought I’d mention this useless piece of info. Andy I well remember the mittens with the string joining them. The girls had knitted scarf’s with round balls of wool hanging from them called pom-poms. The duffel coats had ‘bone’ type buttons which were designed so that sailors frozen with the cold could still button/unbutton them even with numb fingers, and yes I could never fasten the top button for as you say this had the effect of cutting off all oxygen supply. I remember that the pinnacle of skill in knitting was when my mam could knit the ‘fairisle stitch’. I can still here her in my mind muttering “knit one purle one”. Our lifestyle has changed so much over the years that I think a shop owner now selling wool for knitting would surely starve. Another thing just struck me. How did the army account for the missing respirator bags which we all used for a school bag? An Aunt of mine took pity on me and bought me a leather schoolbag from Todd Burns and I was so embarrassed with it that as soon as she went home I reverted to the respirator bag after getting a fierce slagging from my school mates. It must be difficult for children to visualise living without television as we did. Listening to Hughie Green’s ‘Opportunity Knocks’ on Radio Luxemburg was the high point of the winter nights. I remember these times gone by as happy times in spite of the stalag luft school regime. Regards to all JJ
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Post by jjcurran on Aug 30, 2011 0:37:46 GMT
Hi Nickey, I went to the Curragh about two months ago to take some photographs of the various ‘landmarks’ with the intension of photographing the Marian Shrine. I was taken aback by the condition of the Shrine and decided not to include it in my ‘album’. I remember the opening ceremony well and the beautiful water lilies and water plants which have been replaced with gravel. It is a sorry sight now and I believe it is a haunt for teenager cider parties now. Perhaps we need another Bobby Breen to put some smeacht in the place. Regards JJ
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Post by kellquinn on Aug 30, 2011 17:14:09 GMT
Hi all The Jeweller's name was Mr Grosse, he was of Jewish descent, his famous catchphrase was " If you want a vatch, buy a vatch, and don't be looking at the vatches in dee vindow. Hope this sets the record straight. Hi Andy my good friend, hope you and Trish are keeping well, all gardening projects for this year are now finished and I will be able to devote more of my time to the site. Regards Jkelly
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Post by kellquinn on Aug 30, 2011 17:16:48 GMT
Hi all Me again the reason the Marian Shrine was filled in with the Gravel etc, was due to Health and Safety, more Bull....., I often swam in it as a young lad for a bet. Regards JKelly
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Post by tommysweeney1 on Sept 1, 2011 9:48:28 GMT
Hi Nicky I enjoyed reading your piece on the piano, I had a little giggle to myself about it. You can give great credit to the recently retired John Courtney for having the great for-sight to have it restored, The piano was heading out of the camp on the back of a truck when he stopped it, and inquired what or where it was going it may have been lost for all time and never have connected to the curragh. It is indeed a beautiful thing even just to look at. Its great to hear or read the history behind it. I couldn't agree with you more about the amount of space given to the history of residents of the Curragh when you think of all the families that have gone through the Curragh Camp since the foundation of the state, I think this part of the museum should be expanded to take this into account. I have taken this up with the museum in the past and it seems that there is a lack of material IE photographs etc. I know that there are photographs out there its just a mater of making people aware that they are needed. I think the museum is one of the best additions to the Camp especially in the light of the demolitions/destruction of what was once our world as we grew up. If there is anyone out there that may have some old photographs taken in the camp, of family or scenery and would like to give a copy to the museum I would be happy to help my e mail is sweeneytomm@yahoo.com they can be copied and returned to you.
Thanks again Nicky for your memories of that great piano.
Regards
Tommy S
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Post by andybrennan on Sept 1, 2011 21:15:54 GMT
Hi Tommy,
I agree a nice piece by Nicky re the piano, I might add that John Courtney was responsible for an awful lot of good stuff in the Curragh.
T'is a pity that the piggy is now bare little chance of the museum being expanded further, but who knows, perhaps Berti might donate some of his phone expenses. As for a photographic gallery in the museum it would need some extension to house the photographs if they materialized and the task of indexing and putting them into some sort of order a mighty task.
When are you back to the studies? it will be nose to the grindstone for you, I wish you all the best in your studies and have no doubt that you will succeed in your goal.
Remember nothing sucks seeds like a budgie
Andy
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Post by tommysweeney1 on Sept 2, 2011 11:03:21 GMT
Hello Andy, How are things over in the croft, with the road repaired around the grave yard and the great work carried out by the chap (name escapes me (ex Arty) in the fluorescent jacket, the place looks great. Back to school for me next week better start getting the wallpaper out to cover the books. Iam just finishing my college placement work at the moment and heading for a weeks holiday in the morning (cant come quick enough). How is Ter keeping I was in the Curragh the other day and heard he had a serious OP,I hope he is keeping well, mind yourself and when Iam passing through I will keep an eye out for you. P.S remember denial is not just a river Regards Tommy s
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Post by johnnykelly on Sept 2, 2011 13:15:25 GMT
Re;CURRAGH MEMORIES 50s60s70s Hi TommyS Enjoy your holliers and then back to college for yourself when you get back, the chap that you are thinking before the Alzimers kicks in is Michael Downey X Arty Kildare related to skinny /John downey. we shall endevour to get together for a Shadowers Meeting sometime soon when everyone settles back into the new school year, well our Block In Pearse is still standing tall. for how more longer longer i dont knowbut is getting more run down as the weeks go by i think that there is only 4/6 occupants living there at present. bye for now Johnny be good
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Post by tommysweeney1 on Sept 2, 2011 19:44:52 GMT
Hi Johnny B Good,
The very man mick Downey a gentle man in every sense of the word I hope you crofties appreciate the good work Mick is doing.
Tommy S
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Post by andybrennan on Sept 2, 2011 19:54:09 GMT
Hi Tommy
Yes the Croft is looking well thanks to the efforts of Mick, must not leave out Johnny Joe Dunne and their respective wives who also contribute so much time to keeping the place neat as a shiny pin.
Terry on the mend it will be slow, treble by pass no less, if he does not stop chasing the nurses around the ward I will have to go up there with the bathá mór and give him a few skelps, that should soften his cough.
A weeks holliers for you and every one else heading back to school and there you go swanning away, you must have aspirations of becoming a minister in the Dáil.
Andy
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Post by annemcnamara on Sept 2, 2011 22:46:49 GMT
Hi Nick, I really enjoyed your post regarding your recent visit to the Curragh Camp. I drive through the Camp every day, I am aware of the demolition and for the want of a better word the flattening of all the married quarters, but for someone to come back to his roots it has to be soul destroying to see such a void... I will reiterate what I have said before no Bulldozer can wipe out or destroy our great memories on the Curragh Camp. Best wishes, Anne.
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