The following article was first published in the Old Drogheda Society Journal 2000; it is written by Paddy Lynch and in it he recalls the social and cultural scene in the town at the time:
"This is just one persons memory of the old Town by the Boyne in my teenage years and early twenties i.e. 1940 - 1950.
I remember Drogheda as a great town to grow up in. Despite the war, the scarcities, the black outs, and rationing, there was always something to do. In fact to me these shortages seemed to make us more resilient.
During this period I attended the CBS, somehow we were educated despite the shortage of text books, copies with paper made with straw, poor heat etc. At that time before free school transport, pupils came to secondary school in Drogheda from Skerries, Balbriggan, Ardcath, Dunleer, to mention a few, and all seemed to arrive in time for class. The social scene was vibrant with plenty of amenities. The pictures as we called them then, at the Boyne, the Abbey and later the Gate. There were always two houses (performances) each night at 6.45pm and 9pm, Monday to Saturday, two on Sunday at 3pm and 8.30pm. I would always admit that the back row of the balcony was a favourite for girls and boys.
Dancing was another popular pastime, the main venue for this was the Whitworth Hall and the AOH Hall and it was great to make the long journey to Bettystown for a dance in the Northlands (on yer bike) which was our only means of transport. Drogheda had their own dance bands, Pat Jackson and his Band, and the Carlton were the main bands.
We did not lack other amenities as there were many social clubs. C.Y.M.S. Hall, Workmans Club, all in Fair St., the A.O.H. and the Catholic Club in Shop St., the Commercial Club in the Mayoralty House, St. Mary's Hall Dublin Road and YMCA in Peter St. During that time table tennis was a very competitive sport in the town, with leagues etc. There were also two tennis clubs, The Tredagh Club in the North Road, which was a part of the GAA grounds. The tennis club was situated opposite Smith's Garage and is now the main entrance to the grounds. The Drogheda Rowing Club on the Marsh Road was a great amenity on the river with a large club house. Rowing was a popular sport and the annual Boyne Regatta was a great event. The races started at Tom Roe's Point and ended at the boat house.
The GAA was very strong in the town with famous clubs nearly all centered in particuar areas. Wolf Tone GFC, Dooley Gate; Newtown Blues GFC, Newfoundwell; St. Magdalenes GFC, The Markets and Bolton Square; Oliver Plunkett GFC, Mell; Parnells GFC, The Marsh Road. Owen Roes was my club which attracted those not converted by the other clubs and newcomers to Drogheda. Soccer was also very popular with Drogheda United doing extremely well in this period. United Park was their home.
There can't be too many left who will remember the many services we had to protect our town if we had an air raid. The L.D.F. (Local Defence Forces) and The A.R.P. (Air Raid Precaution), The A.E.S., The Rescue Service, Knights of Malta, and The Red Cross. I was in the A.R.P. but due to my youth I was only a messenger, from post to post on our bikes. We all had uniforms. The A.R.P. uniform was grey. The best uniforms were the Knights of Malta and the Red Cross. The secret command post was in the cellar of the Library in Fair Street, state of the art for the time, with telephones to the various other centres. Thankfully we were not called upon. Although a bomb was dropped from a plane in a field on the Mornington Road, opposite the old cement factory.
The Whitworth Hall was an extremely popular venue. It was a cinema, dance hall, whist drives, sales of work, concerts and roller skating. We then had the Drogheda Operatic Society, and the Drogheda Musical Society, both gave first class performances. The drama groups, the workmans, St. Mary's, St. Philomenas, and St. Bridgets. All the visiting theatre groups played there, Anew McMaster, Michael MacLiamoir and Hilton Edwards. It was here I first saw Jimmy O'Dea and Maureen Potter.
Feis na Boinne was founded in the forties and attracted great crowds to the GAA grounds each year on the third Sunday in June. I was later to help in the Feis and felt very privileged. Poiltics were very strong in that period and the large crowds that attended the public meetings either at the Tholsel or down outside the Custom House. The parades to the meeting were fantastic and the hecklers were always on top of their form. The Drogheda and Reed band must be mentioned as they played at all occasions, football matches including Croke Park, political parades, processions and rectitals at Donor's Green and the Ramparts.
Summer was seaside time, the crowds going up the Dublin Road for the train to Laytown and the same road filling up again on the late evening on their return. Others took the bus to Mornington or Termonfeckin or Clougherhead. Cycling to Mornington for a swim after work, anyone remember where the "Ministers Hole" was? It was a popular bathing sopt for swimmers at Mornington Village, there was a path to the central channel of the Boyne opposite the old church in the village and there was a natural pool of deep water which did not vary with the tides. There was also a spring board for diving, our parents never knew we used it as it was quite deep.
I have only remembered some of the activities available in my youth and I must be nostalgic for my own street in the town. Narrow West Street was my street, at that time it was a lived in street with the best of neighbours, as far as I can see there is only one of the old names left, Callan the computer shop. I trust I may have stirred up old memories for some and for the younger reader to know that Drogheda was a great town to be born and to live in.
No comments:
Post a Comment