Do you remember?

[ggeraghty]

You must be joking pete!!!!!!

[Skinner]

trying again

That's a great pic of you and Mary peewee

The other one didn't come out!

This photo ,Parker, Supt O'Holleran, Tim Mc Gloughlan and Joe Mills LDF back in the 40s.
Pee Wee

[Lee Lynch]

Yes I agree with Skinner Peter, a lovely feelgood photo. It's plain to see you both loved to dance and took great pride in your appearance. Now that you seem to be getting the knack of posting photos how about the one of your good self, wearing your very first white barbers coat all those years ago? I'm sure fellow shams everywhere would love to see the young PeeWee.

Keep fighting the good fight Peter,
 
Lee

[peewee]

Sorry about that .Go back to page 41 for  the other photo.
Lee ,I took me half a day to get my picks on here I still haven't the knack.
Pe Wee

[damomac]

Here it is, Peewee, cut down to size.

Photo: Parker, Supt O'Halloran, Tim McLoughlin (Tadhg Mac Lochlainn) and Joe Mills in the Local Defence Force (LDF) during the Emergency in in the 1940s.

[peewee]

Thanks Damomac

[paddington1961]

Parker, Supt O'Halloran, Tim McLoughlin (Tadhg Mac Lochlainn) and Joe Mills in the Local Defence Force (LDF) during the Emergency in in the 1940s.

Super picture.  it's like a still from Dad's Army!

[Lee Lynch]

Another touch of nostalgia there PeeWee with the Dad's Army photo. I remember Supt. O'Halloran and Joe Mills, but the mighty Timmy McLoughlin was instantly recognisable. I last spoke to Timmy about 40 years ago in, I think, The Log Cabin. I had just got back from Knokke Le Zoute, after singing Great Britain into second place in an international song contest with a song called 'Stay Awhile'. Timmy loved music and we seemed to sit there for hours talking about what was happening over in London. He told me he was writing a book about Ballinasloe and would give me a mention. Did he ever finish that book, I wonder?
 
Not many young shams will know that Mr. McLoughlin co-wrote my recording of 'The fair of Ballinasloe'. I also remember helping out by putting my voice to a demo recording of another Tadhg composition 'The Ballad Of Father Griffin', about 35 years ago. Anyone know who Father Griffin was?. Billy Joe ward tells me he has a copy of the recording somewhere and will try and dig it out when he returns from his three month cabaret stint at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha, Qater. I've just googled the Sheraton, with it's sun, swimming pools and how's yer father. Thank goodness I'm too old to be jealous. Have one for me Billy Joe.

Now where's me cocoa mug?
 
Lee

[damomac]

Lee,

Fr Michael Griffin was murdered by the Black and Tans in November 1920. He was born in Gurteen, near Ballinasloe, and he may have gone to the Pines, where St Joseph's College was located before it moved to Garbally.

Tadhg did publish his book, in 1970 I think. It's called Inniu agus Inne.

[Hillcrestonian]

Hi Lee,

As a resident of Fr Griffin Rd in Galway I made it my business to research
the life of the man after whom the street is named.
The link Damomac provides gives an accurate description.

My Grandfather knew Griffin and attended the funeral, although I remember
him recalling that there were far more than 12000 mourners in attendance.

Fr Griffin was a republican devoted to the cause of Irish freedom and as a result he
incurred the wrath of the British forces in Galway. His position of influence ultimately
cost him his life. He was led under false pretenses from a house in Sea Road and shot
through the temple. His body was dumped in a bog near Barna a few miles west of Galway.

It would be a week before it was discovered. The discovery of his body was announced at
masses throughout the diocese and was met with a combination of grief and relief.
Relief because uncertainty over his whereabouts had been a cause of concern.
It was assumed that he was executed but the "not knowing" was a difficult cross to bear
for many in his parish and beyond.

He was the first priest to be murdered in Ireland since the days of Cromwell.

Fr Griffin Road and Fr Griffin Avenue between Galway city and Salthill are named after him.
There is also a local GAA club named in his honour.
 
There is also a bronze plaque set in the pavement outside the house in nearby Sea road
from which he was lured to his death.

I have a photograph of it somewhere. If I find it, I will post it here or on the history thread.
 

[Lee Lynch]

Thank you Damo and Hill for the info on Father Griffin. I'm learning something new every day. A sad tale indeed. Glad to hear the bould Timmy got to finish and publish his book. A talented man was Tadhg.

By the way Damo, I've finally got to see you on TV talking Irish to the Greeks. I only understood the odd word here and there (a legacy of too much fishing under the first bridge instead of going to school), but ya sounded very intelligent to me. Jaysus we've got branches everywhere sham.

Lee

[Whack]

I would love to know the stories Whacks dad told him,I sure hope he did not tell him everything especially the one of him finding me in the quarry drawing room with the boss's niece*
Pee Wee.

This is for you PeeWee, taken the day after dad's drawing office was disturbed.

[Lee Lynch]

Thank you Hill 60 Geordie,

What a surprise to hear where Hymany Park is. I used to play down there more than sixty years ago. We called it the 'Boreen' back then. Who would have thought they would build a housing estate in the ghostly little Boreen all those years later? But then again the same could have been said about St. Brendan's when that went up in the middle of nowhere, back in the mid 1930's.
 
Which reminds me. There used to be a field at the bottom of St. Brendan's Terrace called Ned Canavin's field, which kids from the terrace had to cross on their adventurous journey up the magic Boreen to St. Grellan's. Just like our pretend treks across the Sahara desert of Willy Deane's sandpit, we had to keep a sharp lookout for the bould Ned, who with his brisk short steps and giant sized blackthorn stick was likely to appear from nowhere. Looking back now I would say his bark was worse than his bite - not that any of us stood still long enough to find out. Is Ned's field still there? Or once again has progress devoured yet another childhood playground?

Lee

[Pollboy Dasher]

,

[Pollboy Dasher]

Lee,

You will be glad to here Ned Cannavins field is still intact. It hasn't been taken over by developers as yet. The reason being i don't think there is road access, so building houses might be a problem. It isn't really used for much to be honest.  Sometimes for a bonfire at halloween.  At the back of the field if you are heading towards St. Grellans,you have to pass through the new Tesco and Hymany. So i'd say you would hardly recognise it now Lee.

A few pictures for you are attached Lee.