As I stroll past St Patrick’s Church and on down to Pigeon House Road I expect any minute a head to peep out of a doorway on Pigeon House Road and ask “are you going to the shops?” and without waiting for an answer you were on your way to Hopkins shop for two woodbines or a bottle of milk.

My brother, John (Longy) McDonnell, was born just before the war in 1939. My brother Chris was 11 months younger than John, and I came next, followed by Breda, Barbara and finally Cora.

The boys were educated at Ringsend National School and at The Tech near The Jets, as it was called then. As a lad, John used to go out in Jack Pullen’s row boat and cast nets with him.

Some mornings he would bring home some whitebait and all the girls would clean the fish and have a good fry-up for breakfast. He was 6 feet 2 inches tall and very lean, he was a very snazzy dresser and loved teddy-boy draped jackets and tight trousers and soapy sole suede shoes or ‘brothel creepers’ as they were called then.

Music played a big part in our lives, both the lads were big fans of Bill Haley and The Comets and of course Elvis was king of them all. I remember Breda and I going with my brothers to a Bill Haley concert in the Adelphi Cinema in Abbey Street, and going frantic at a brilliant live show.

John was very protective of his sisters and would bring us to the Regal cinema on Saturday afternoons. Our first stop on the way would be the sweet shop opposite to get loose sweets: Scots Clan or Love Hearts or Cushions.
Getting into the Regal was bedlam, a big queue four or five wide would form outside with lots of pushing and shoving. It was four pence to get in so it was called ‘the four penny rush’.

For a time, John and Christy worked together as glass blowers in the Portland Glass Factory in Portland Row. It was shift work, hard work. German and Polish workmen were hired to teach the Irish workers glass-blowing. I remember a Mr Hoffman who was a very nice man and used to come and visit us at home.

When the company expanded and moved to Bray, my dad went to the city centre with Christy and John to get them a scooter for commuting. They bought a Lambretta Scooter; in those days I don’t think you needed a driving licence for a scooter or even lessons for that matter. The shop assistant showed them how to turn it on and off and after a few goes the deal was done. Dad got the bus home. It was a very exciting day all around.

John met his wife Mary in Bray while she was working at the ‘SOLUS’ light bulb factory. We all loved Mary, she was a real lady. John and Mary lived in a house in Cambridge Avenue. They had two sons Graham and Jason. Mary loved her two sons to distraction and was very proud of them.

John and Mary were great hosts to my family in 1978 when we returned from London and invited us to live with them until we got sorted with our own house.

Later on, after working for Neon Signs, in Westland Row for many years. Chris started his own neon business and was a master at his craft. He was responsible for quite a few well-known signs around the city: the Donnellys Sausage sign on the quays; the Guinness signs on the Harp bar at O’Connell Bridge and at Tara Street Bridge and the Baileys Irish Cream sign on Bachelor’s Walk.

In later life, John worked for many years for Dublin Port and Docks as a gateman He loved his job and worked long hours, purely his choice I’m sure. He was always a great worker and whatever he did he did well.

Christy and Cora his wife and children Sandra, Adrienne, Edward and Joanne lived in Gordon Street. Christy loved plants and growing things. He created a roof garden and loved tropical fish. Chris sadly passed away four years ago. Recently we all got together to celebrate a significant birthday of his wife Cora.

Sadly, John too died in January of this year, he was a diabetic and had one of his legs amputated just below the knee last year. He was a well-respected and loved patient in Beaumont Hospital; the medical staff all treated him with respect and friendliness.

I loved my brothers dearly and I have enjoyed taking this trip down memory lane.

Ringsend was a great place to live way back then and I have such fond memories of the wonderful warm, friendly people I lived amongst.

Above: The Fountain at the Ringsend Park/ Cambridge Road junction and below, the nearby ‘Jets’.