St. Annes

When it is sunny here and I feel home sick which is not very often. I only feel home sick for the past and not necesarily for the Ireland I see today. In the old days there was a spirit, there was something magic and simple about everything. I loved going to St Anne's from Avondale or Foxfield. It was an adventure which started when I walked out the door of our home.

Which route would I take to St Anne's? It depended on whether I was playing in the road leagues or not, wheter I was going alone or with friends. I generally went with friends but I also liked to go alone. The only certitude was I was walking or running there. We never though twice about it.

If we had a little bit of money and time we might pass by the shop opposite the Cedar's (I cannot remember the name), or we might pop into Walshe's beside the library or Cronin's which was beside Raheny Garage or we would go onto St Anne's and pop into the Sugarloaf which is also gone. Only some shops had hapenny or penny things so that would drive our decision as where to go. The walk seemed like a long one especiall when you are 8 or so. I felt great being free to walk all this way. I used to be a little bit nervous as St Anne's did not have a great reputation in those days but it was not too unsafe. There were often fights between the Mods & Rockers and the Teddy Boys. It often happened at the bandstand (which seems to be gone as well).

We would play our game of football or whatever. Sometime we would be mucked up to the nines and we would simple walk home that way, no showers then. We never seem to mind. We would walk back and if we were really really lucky we could affors to buy a bag of chips and if we were really really really luck we could buy fish and chips. There were fun times and we were extremely lucky to have St Anne's on our doorstep.

Walking home we would chat and sing and tell stories. When we would pass the chipper we would wonder whether they really used cat and dog food for the batter burgers. This was a story that went around a lot. Us kids did not really care as long as it tasted good and it did.

St Anne's is a great amenity so close to the city. Even now I wish I could go out my door and walk there. Alas I do not have the luck you lot have. I have lots and lots of open space but it is not where my best childhood and adolesent memories are

irish_mammy wrote: I remember it snowed really heavily in January for my debs. It would have been cancelled except we had changed the venue that year from Malahide to the Royal Dublin in O'connel st. (rebels!!!!) It was fun getting home that night!!!! I think the snow is getting later every year.

Malahide was where your school always had the debs. I was invited to one in the 70's and they organised buses to bring people home. They were double decker buses. The person who invited me sadly died two years ago.

God I havent heard anybody mention bamboo land in years. We used to cut the bamboo's and make jumps in St Annes park with them. 2 pegs off the washing line to hold the cross bar. It was a great adventure to go in there because the owner used to shoot on the land. I think his name was O Herne. He lived in the big house. I have great mories of that place.  

Declan

Great photo's there and rene a great post.

It is amazing at that part of your life a few years can make all the difference.

I was just married and my eldest daughter Aoife had just been born in the October before the big snow. It was so bad in Swords that all the power went for a full day.

I had to get candles and a superser from my parents and we all cuddled up in one room. I had a top for the gas bottle as well to cook on and neighbours who had just had a baby as well joined us. It was great. cosy dark with all the provisions you could get, bread milk food around you and the two lads feeling like Hunter Gatherers willing to take on the Artic in order to sustain the family. Word came out that a bread van had arrived at JC's supermarket and all the lads headed off through 6 feet of snow to get fresh bread and milk and baby food.

Then the Power came back and spoiled the whole effect

I was great--well for a few days anyway.

Lovely post Rene ,kind of sums up most kids childhood at the time,somehow a childhood that is confined to history now which is such a pity,kids nowadays will never know what its like to have to walk around to a friends house to find out if he is in or not ,now they will e-mail or phone. As Darach says we r soft ,and the next generation are even softer g

Great pictures Finno,just reading back over a few pages and see u mention the Gyves ,from All Saints Rd,I served my apprenticeship under a John Gyves ,from All Saints Rd ,he was huge chap ,always wore a cap,would be in his 80s if alive today,he worked as a fitter /turner ,has be the Father of the Gyves ur talking about ,not that common of a name ,?????????????