Dear Editor
I enjoyed the article in the June issue of ‘News Four’ about
the Assembly Picture Hall, it brought back memories of growing up in Irishtown
in the 1930s. As far as I can remember the cinema had the name over the
front entrance as the ‘Cinema House’, however none of us ever
gave it that title.
I always called it The ‘Shack’ or The ‘Assem’.
The owner Mr. O’Neill was well known to us all, he employed a lady
named Lucy, who I think was a relative. He also had a bouncer who we always
referred to as ‘a chucker out’, by the name of Eric. When
we got out of hand at the matinee, he would shine his flash lamp at us
and say “shut your face”.
When work was scarce on the docks, (or as we would say the quay) and we
couldn’t have the price of the pictures, we would pick a bag of
coal on the tip head at Irishtown and sell it for four pence. This would
be the price for two matinees into The Regal and The Shack. We looked
forward to seeing the Serial (or as we called it the following upper).
Most of them were cowboy serials, and we generally cheered the cowboys
and booed the Indians.
In conclusion, I enjoyed the article about the inter-league match at Dalymount
Park by Denis Murphy in 1956. As a Shamrock Rovers fan, I was proud of
the fact that we had seven players on the Irish side that evening, when
we got the equaliser. I nearly lost my voice from cheering, I wonder are
there many people alive today who had the pleasure of seeing that match.
Once again, thanks for bringing back such great memories and wishing your
paper every success for the future.
Yours gratefully,
Oliver Doyle
Dear Editor
I particularly
liked the contribution by Rodney Devitt in NewsFour June 2005 entitled
‘My Old Victorian House’. It was funny and charming at the
same time.
Best wishes to you and NewsFour.
Stephen Carter
Ballsbridge
 Dear
Editor
My son Sean is stationed in Tikrit, Iraq and I enclose a photograph (right)
of him giving toys/clothes and school supplies to the children of Iraq.
Sean is the grandson of John and Josie Byrne (nee Purcell) of O’Rahilly
House Ringsend where I grew up. I would like to thank my sister Elaine
McDonald of O’Rahilly House, the staff and parents of the Ringsend
Community Centre’s Daycare group for sending me clothes and toys
for me to forward to Sean. It makes me very proud of my old hometown for
helping the children of Iraq.
I would also like to find out how I can get on your mailing list.
Thank you
Sandra Morrison (nee Byrne)
We have added your name to our mailing list, Sandra. Ed
Dear Editor
Having grown up in Sandymount, frequently looking across the strand at
The Pidgeon House and The Poolbeg Lighthouse I feel it is time to correct
an oft quoted error concerning the correct spelling of the name The Pidgeon
House as I often see it misspelled in News Four and many other publications
and indeed on road signs.
During extension works to the South Bull Wall in 1760 the Dublin Port
Board arranged for the construction of a ‘blockhouse’ at what
was then the eastern extremity of the masonry wall. This building was
located in the vicinity of what is today Pidgeon House Harbour and was
demolished in 1835. At that time the cross channel ‘packet ships’
anchored in the Liffey estuary adjacent to this eastern extremity.
One of the Board’s employees a Mr. John Pidgeon was appointed as
a watchman on these works and was allowed to reside along with his family
in the ‘blockhouse’.
Mr. John Pidgeon was permitted to sell refreshments to the arriving and
departing ship passengers and because of his association with the building
it became popularly known as ‘Pidgeon’s House’.
Hence we have the origin of the names of The Pidgeon House, Pidgeon House
Fort, Pidgeon House Harbour and Pidgeon House Road.
Reference source: ‘History of The Port of Dublin’. (1988)
Gilligan, H.A. Chapter 6, ‘John Pidgeon’s House and Eighteenth
Century Dockland’.
So let us leave pigeon for the birds and for posterity’s sake give
due credit and recognition to the long departed Mr. John Pidgeon and duly
ignore what MS Word spellchecker may have to say on the subject.
Yours etc,
David Grundy,
Skerries,
Co. Dublin.
Dear Editor
I have been contracted by the Dublin City Arts Focus Group to compile
a Directory for all community arts groups in Dublin. It is hoped that
it will be published towards the end of the year. It was suggested to
me that NewsFour might be a good starting point for gathering information
in relation to the South East Area, as your readers may have information
on community groups operating in the area and/or you might know of individuals
to contact in order to obtain details for various active groups.
The directory will include the larger arts groups in each area and umbrella
groups for the arts but we really hope to focus on the voluntary community
groups who might be more difficult to discover and contact.
I can be contacted by telephone on 2225054 or by email at carol.ingoldsby@dublincity.ie.
I would appreciate any help you could offer.
Kindest Regards
Carol Ingoldsby
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