One night we were sitting round the fire. We only had boxes and bits and pieces for furniture. When the fire got low, the furniture went into the fire.

Anyway there was a noise outside. We looked out. It was a big coal lorry, full of loose coal. There were no street lights in them days but right outside my house was this big lorry, full of coal.

Sarah Conlon had a café next door at the time. The driver and his helper went into Sarah’s. Joe Boyle was a nephew of Sarah’s, and one of our mates.

We sent Joe over to make sure the coalmen were sitting down and that their attention was engaged otherwise than in watching our activities.

They were sitting down, all right.  So we all came out of the house.

For the next half-hour we all diligently and solidly carried coals off that lorry into my back yard. By the time them guys came out nearly the whole load was gone. We just threw coal down the steps.

When they eventually came out of the cafe it was pitch dark and they just climbed into the lorry and drove away!  I don’t know where they went but I’m sure they got an awful shock, when they got to Portadown or Belfast or wherever it was they were going to!

We had a whole winter’s worth of burning before us!

And we could devote all our efforts to acquiring replacement furniture!

…………. more Morrow to come ……………