Final Grove

Hope this one hasn't been done before, but can't see anywhere.

Can anyone remember their last time at the Grove (bar reunions!).

Did you just not happen to go again, or was their a definitive this is my last time type occasion?

any specific memories?

Wondering if you ever did the Sunday Night Mins.

In our later years after we had given up the Saturday nights, we went on Sundays for a good while after, just the lads. Few beers in town and out for about 11 pm.

Can't remember the last ever time, would have been in and around October - November,1985 ( yeah, I know, I was 21 ).

If memory serves (and it rarely does), I went back for a "one last" just after finishing the leaving in June 1989. Three of us met up, myself and an alcove mate plus a very good mate (but not one I hung around with at the grove - he wasn't an alcove type).

Funny that, a good mate that went Groving but that I didn't hang around with - talk about dividing u plife. I'll hand around with you in school, but we'll ignore each other at the Grove!!!!

Having only ever once before drunk before the grove, we went the whole hog and bought cans - can't only ever knacker drink once! Four cans each, Harp for me. The "experienced" drinker was still ony finishing up the third can as myself and my mate clobbered our fourth. and he was well oiled - we couln't believe it.

there was some commotion from a house (someone threatening to ring the guards because of some other crowd of young lads drinking cans) and we were torn between legging it for the buzz and standing our ground given that we were now legal!

Got in early to make the most of it - we must have started drinking at about half seven in full daylight. Don't remember anything different once we went inside - it was just the usual, really good fun, but less and less of the old crowd as you pushed on a bit.

When I went to college, there was a good few of us former grovers. We talked about it so much (plus ca change!) that we made tentative plans to bring a crowd back but it never got going. The missus has reminded me about that - we obviously banged on about it a good deal!

Dont really remember my final grove but it was a wrench to eventually leave (late 80s).  Most of the crowd would have been a good bit younger than me by then but I just couldnt bring myself to give up.  Eventually, loathed as I was to admit it, I just felt too old for the place and reluctantly stopped going down..

By the time we moved on we were going to the Cricket and then on the off week we went to the grove.  Most of the crowd who went during the time I went moved onto the cricket or up the summit so you gravitated the same way really.  I suppose that was somewhere around 83/84.  I think we popped down on the odd Sunday but some of the friends got serious with the lads they met there so I suppose we were all going in different directions.

Great stories guys - the principled stand of roundie has me in stitches. How long before you regretted that action, eh?

Lot of talk of sundays...I'm trying to remember whether they were still going in my time and whether I went.

When did they stop (still going in 85 to 89?)

Were they all year round or just summer events? This sort of rings bells.

Because, my memory of Sundays in the gym was basketball with Fr Lyne (Nick). Bit bizarre that - less than 24 hours after the carnage we were playing "skins" and "shirts". And then up to the pool for a quick (skinny) dip. Great end to the weekend.

7! so all Grove nights weren't perfect after all????

Not a Grove story, but I remember the night Ireland beat Italy in the Giants Stadium in New York during the 1994 world cup. There was a barman's strike, so it was difficult to find a venue to watch over a few pints.

A friend knew people in the Howth Lodge and we got invited to a ticketed private do. Great fun, but the crowd were a touch old.

Brainwave time - let's get out to Tamango's early - everyone will have been drinking cans and mad for a night out.

We were probably 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th into the club and I'm not sure anyone else arrived. Puts a dampener on things when you're all alone like that....