Curragh Camp Business Community - 1968

[Matt McNamara]

Hi All

The following photograph was sent to me by Gus Gannon and shows the business men and women of The Curragh Camp in 1968.

Thanks to Gus for sharing this photograph with us.

Matt

[tommysweeney1]

Wow!, Just looking through the photo Gus sent in, It brought back so many memories mostly good ones I must add.
As a child I caddied for many of the traders Pat Maginn, Aga Sylvester who incidentally paid me once with an out of date note who Pat Maginn kindly changed for me. Mrs Dobbyn's first question to me used to be who are you now?, and she always said Mc ateer's must have been closed.
Dan Dwyer's scalding mugs of tea and ham sandwiches where very welcome when you where a skinny recruit as I was. While so many of the traders made there living from the residents of the camp they all played a very important part in the survival of families who at the time struggled on very poor wages, often large families by todays standards.
Many of the traders provided much needed credit which enabled the families to pay when they had the money.
I loved going for the paper on a Sunday morning to Eason's the shop was always a hive of activity especially after mass, when you walked in the floor always sank in the middle and you would get a lung full of smoke from Bob's cigarette while you waited for your change.
I just wondering if Peter Hayden in the photo is the milk man, I should know myself, I had the pleasure as a young lad to work for him, myself and Mick Harpur. what is confusing me is the fact that I never saw him without a brown coat or a fag burning in his mouth before, I am sure someone will tell me if its him.
Anyway, thanks Gus and Matt for sharing the picture it was a nice trip down memory lane.

Tommy S

[danwhelan438]

hi
great photograph gus also lot of memories as a kid with these people
tom that is not the milkman as his name was jim hayden and a lot rounder man than that chap i also worked with him as a kid during the summer.
mick sheen used to run the shoe repair shop beside mc ateers and dobbins .biddies favorite saying (is mc ateers closed) i think every kid of that era rembembers that saying as you say tom good memories.
im sure johnny and joey have some good stuff to add to this come on lads

nice photo

cheers dan

[andybrennan]

Yep a great snap, I have fond memories of many of those named.

Andy