15th August

A tale of events one 15th August, some 70 years ago

My eighth birthday was approaching when Mammy said:

Everybody to bed early. Tomorrow is the 15th August and Daddy is taking us all to Warrenpoint in the big puff-puff train!

We were all awakened to a loud knocking by our breadman, Hugh-John McConville.

I was the first downstairs and Mammy told me to get two fresh and one cuttin’. Mammy was cooking breakfast and Daddy was cutting the loaves to make sandwiches for me and my older brother and my other brother. Also there was baby brother who was two-years-old and was suffering from a bad bout of hiccups.

When we arrived at Dublin Bridge Station Daddy told the older brother to take the baby’s hand and told the four of us to run to the end of the platform like the blazes, and not to let Paddy Burke see us getting into the train. I don’t think we were paid for. A one and thruppenny ticket took Mummy and Daddy to Warrenpoint.

Lined up against the window, we children were all thrilled to watch a motor car on the road racing against the train. We were shouting at the driver to shovel more coal on to go faster.

The sound of the baby’s hiccups and the clickety-click of the train on the lines were in perfect synchronicity! Hickuppty -hip, Clickety-click !

To our right we could see one of Fishers coal boats sailing along the canal on its way to Albert Basin. Soon, on our left appeared the majestic Narrow Water Castle and Keep. 

On our arrival in the seaside resort, we were fascinated by the sounds of music and the colourful Amusements. Young girls and boys were twirling on high-flying swings. Some people were already inebriated and dancing in The Square.

Mammies and daddies were accompanying younger children on the hobby-horses. 

Our own Mammy put baby brother on the roundabout.

… more later …

.. previous story Luck’n’Away ?  …

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