The History of Crumlin

[rasher]

Iveagh Grounds Guinness Party

I remember in 1959 going to their 200th anniversary party in the Iveagh grounds, I was only eleven at the time and everything was free .It was the best party ever free sweets and ice cream for the whole day I was like a pig in shite.My Grandfather worked in Guinness’s and he brought me along with him ,maybe to hold him up after drinking his free Guinness for the day.Looking back on it now I thought he was ancient when he retired at 65 in 1961,there was a plaque on the wall of their house saying that he worked for Guinness from 1920 to 1961.We also used to go to the Guinness conserts in the Rubert Guinness hall witch was just off Thomas Street if I remember right and that was a great night also.It was a good place to work as there were plenty of benefits for the workers.

[joan mack]

Yes Rasher,My Late Husband worked there and the benefits were immense, Free Medical and prescriptions no matter how expensive, Free Pool and Gym for all family members, Parties and your dinner for a shilling, The shilling went to Charity

Still Getting the pension and I am still able to avail of the pool the gym and the beauty parlour lol! Although I don't because they are to far away from me.
My Late husband had no family working there. I just typed a letter in one day when he was home from sea. I was tired of him being away on the P@O lines.

He got an interview and the Manager who interviewed him and being at sea also and he knew the toll on family life.

He told my Husband to go home and come back in some working clothes My Husband worked there for thirty years and he took early retirement with good pension. He was still in his late fifties. It was the best letter I ever typed, At Christmas we got some free drink and as much as we wanted to buy at cost price, I even got a big Death Grant when my Husband died I was not expecting that really wonderful firm to work for,

Now with Brexit who knows My Pension now comes from England

[joan mack]

Christmas decorations are so sophisticated now and I look back on my years in St Agnes Convent when we made paper decorations out off coloured paper.

We were folding over and pasting this paper for a long time most days.

They never looked great. My Mam would buy paper decorations from the local shop,

My Dad would place each one from a corner to the light in the middle of the room, So four chains a small crip in the window and in later years a tiny tree was all we had. Now when I look at my madly lit up house, My Laser lights, every room in the house decorated even the hall and garden.

I think back to our modest celebration of the day and I wonder what my Mam ever did with the decorations I made in school. I loved Christmas then and those four decorations cheered me up so good, much more then all the decorations I put up now

[Vico2]

Christmas decorations are so sophisticated now and I look back on my years in St Agnes Convent when we made paper decorations out off coloured paper.

We were folding over and pasting this paper for a long time most days.

They never looked great. My Mam would buy paper decorations from the local shop,

My Dad would place each one from a corner to the light in the middle of the room, So four chains a small crip in the window and in later years a tiny tree was all we had. Now when I look at my madly lit up house, My Laser lights, every room in the house decorated even the hall and garden.

I think back to our modest celebration of the day and I wonder what my Mam ever did with the decorations I made in school. I loved Christmas then and those four decorations cheered me up so good, much more then all the decorations I put up now

I remember those chains Joan, they ran from each corner of the room to the light in the centre of the ceiling. I also remember the bells, when closed they looked like a boot, but then when you opened them up, you had bells.

I don't put up many decorations now, they are only gathering dust. I put tinsel around the mirrors. I have a big santa I put by the fireplace and a singing goblin too. When the grand children come in, they wind up the goblin and he sings "I feel good". Other than that I have only a small crib.

[joan mack]

Vico I suppose it was because at one time all of my children were abroad and only came home for Christmas that I started the madness of Christmas decorations

I felt so much like celebrating my six children were returning,

Now all but one live quite close to me, But because I have the decorations they go up. In fact my twelve Grandchildren would be very disappointed if they didn't. I have Christmas dishes teatowels lol! Placemats the works.

The nicest thing I ever heard was when my Granddaughter then aged fifteen said, "Oh Nana Its always Christmas in your House"

I do be glad to see them away for another year, But now I notice a few escape and are still there for months later

I remember the bells and the stars. I also remember when they came down the dust was dreadful as we only had the one main room with a fire constantly burning and ashes been lifted each day

In Crumlin it was the one day we got lovely Icecream soda and Pineapple soda. I don't see them around anymore

[Vico2]

Vico I suppose it was because at one time all of my children were abroad and only came home for Christmas that I started the madness of Christmas decorations

I felt so much like celebrating my six children were returning,

Now all but one live quite close to me, But because I have the decorations they go up. In fact my twelve Grandchildren would be very disappointed if they didn't. I have Christmas dishes teatowels lol! Placemats the works.

The nicest thing I ever heard was when my Granddaughter then aged fifteen said, "Oh Nana Its always Christmas in your House"

I do be glad to see them away for another year, But now I notice a few escape and are still there for months later

I remember the bells and the stars. I also remember when they came down the dust was dreadful as we only had the one main room with a fire constantly burning and ashes been lifted each day

In Crumlin it was the one day we got lovely Icecream soda and Pineapple soda. I don't see them around anymore

Do you remember the light shades Joan. They were the shape of a star when you opened them, but they had little star shaped holes all over them. When you put them on the light it looked like stars shining through.

[joan mack]

Its amazing they did not go on fire. We may not have put up much for Christmas but my poor Dad would be ordered to whitewash the ceiling before any decorations went up.

Whitewash it was, He would have watered it down so much, It would be splattered everywhere on his hat which he wore on his glasses I wonder how he could see and even the dog got a splash,

Of course because it watered it down it had to have a few coats, It was a time to make yourself scarce lol!

[dinny]

Did Whitewash come as powder and you added water......as I seem to remember my mother doing something like that....lol

[joan mack]

Yes Dinny I think it was intended for exterior use, Unlike the nice paints of today it rained down on top of you, Never lasted for long hence the yearly whitewash

[dinny]

Yes Dinny I think it was intended for exterior use, Unlike the nice paints of today it rained down on top of you, Never lasted for long hence the yearly whitewash

Remember my mother using it indoor I think.....or it could have been in the porch

[joan mack]

Still see my Dad standing on a chair no step ladder, Plastic over his clothes, Mirrors were splashed as was the floor big clean up afterwards, God love him he was not a handyman and my uncle was so he always tried to be as good as him,

He once made me a swing out in the garden it was so crooked I would hit my head of the supports. Everywhere he went there was drama, He once went to the Gas Company then in Westmoreland street to pay a bill.

He always liked his bills marked paid. Well the lady in front of him fainted and all the cashiers came out to assist her, Later nobody could find his receipt he was not a happy camper

[liam]

Hi Good morning .i woke up this morning still not dead again to-day. So your dad was a real D.I .y guy,i mean destroy it yourself. Ha Ha Ha .So if you want anything done ,i am a real handy man,sure i only live around the corner.

[Vico2]

Evening all, wet here all day, sort of miserable.

[joan mack]

Nice and warm for November Vico I would imagine the gas company are losing out, Much later when I need to put on my heating,

In Crumlin my Dad lit the fire at about six or seven am and it was lit for the day.

He would wet a lot of slack as he called it and as the fire raged he would cover it with the very slow burning slack. He was great at lighting fires.

My Mam was dreadful If the fire did go out she would get a newspaper and hold it in front, Many times it took off up the chimney with a big roar which frightened the shite out of us kids lol!

[Vico2]

Nice and warm for November Vico I would imagine the gas company are losing out, Much later when I need to put on my heating,

In Crumlin my Dad lit the fire at about six or seven am and it was lit for the day.

He would wet a lot of slack as he called it and as the fire raged he would cover it with the very slow burning slack. He was great at lighting fires.

My Mam was dreadful If the fire did go out she would get a newspaper and hold it in front, Many times it took off up the chimney with a big roar which frightened the shite out of us kids lol!

My father was very good at lighting the fire too. He used to make what he called a volcano with bits of coal or turf the shape of a volcano and some fat or a small amount of sugar in the top. Turf gave out more heat than coal, but the chimney had to be swept more often when using turf. The smell of turf still brings back lovely memories for me.