My grandad, plastered all his life, though he never drank alcohol. He plastered walls and ceilings. And a master plasterer he was too. Bill Magner was his name, a tall thin bald man, and to my childhood eyes, always seemed to be stooped, as he rummaged his pipe bowl – which always seemed to be […]
O Happy Days…
One of the most abiding memories of childhood is that of Saturday afternoon cinema. The staple diet of the cinemas in times past was,of course, the “cowboy and indian” films along with the “follow uppers” (an episode every Saturday) like flash gordon and superman. The local cinema, the “City theatre” is, sadly, no longer; but […]
The Simon
A semi derlict 3 story house on the corner of Charlotte Quay ajoining a river in the old Irishtown was selected to be a “Simon Community”. In the early 70s this was a movement with the aim of providing night shelter and food for homeless men. The house had about 10 rooms with bare timber […]
Packet and Tripe – Limerick’s Cavier
France has snails, London has bubble and squeak, Scotland has haggis, Holland has cheese, Germany has frankfurters, Itialy has pasta, Dublin has coddle but Limerick has packet and tripe. Or had. It is a dish little eaten in these affulent days, McDonalds and Burger King have triumphed over a dish that was a staple food […]
Drinking in a Cemetary
Behind James Street in the old part of Limerick city lies Johns Square, and facing Johns Square a very ancient church, its called St John the baptist and has a cemetry sourrounding it – this was a protestant church and was been built some time before St Johns Cathedral next to it in St.Johns square. […]
The Midnight Baker
Mr Humpries was a welcome sight to many a family in the hungry 50s , and long before. I wonder how many people remember the gentleman. Mr Humpries was almost blind, I never knew his first name, aided and abetted by his trusty sidekick, Pa. He had a bakery in Edward Street, this street sweeps […]
The Streets of Limerick in the 40’s and 50’s
Do you remember? I know I will never forget. How is your memory on the shops and offices that lined our streets in the 1940’s and 1950’s or maybe the owners and staff that ran these businesses? Let me take you up one street that I remember and see if it jogs your memory. I’m […]
WHEN CHRISTMAS CAME BUT ‘ONCE A YEAR’
When we were children the year seemed so long from one Christmas to another -maybe it was because Christmas only came but ‘once a year’ back then. We really looked forward to this holiday season, it was the only time of the year when there was an abundance of food around the house, special foods […]
Limerick Ireland 2008 – Ireland’s Finest City
Streets of Limerick