‘Do ye want the keg?’

Lou Morgan, who took fourth prize in our recent Reminiscence Competition for his series of anecdotes, first regaled me with an account of his progeny.



‘My grandfather was Walter Morgan and I have a brother named after him. Joe is another older brother, as is Walter and I have a younger brother Eamon. 

Joe is named after my father who was in the Newry Voluntary Fire Service.  Joe’s grandfather James was from Cullion in Mayobridge.  He owned land there and had a country house. He was a carpenter by trade but he was an important man as he served as Chairman of the Committee of the Technical School then.  Dinny Ward was a carpenter teacher there at the time.

On his retirement this James went into dairy farming.  He lived then in a New Street house. He had a milk delivery.  He delivered the milk in a Pony and Trap – the latter he built himself!  He had started out as a Cartwright. 

I remember the women would come out with their milk jugs in their hand.   James was very tight!  He was compared by Lou to a certain part of a duck’s anatomy!

‘ He would deliver this careful wee tap on the keg,  to empty a measured quantity into a tin.   The tin had a mark on it for fractions of a pint.  He would skimp on the pouring of the milk. 

Mrs Houley came on to him one time. 

‘Watch yer hand, there! Careful you don’t spill any of that precious milk!’

She commented sarcastically.

‘Do ye want the keg?’ 

He came back, equally sarcastically.’

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