The Brú Padraig was a youth club located at 17 Herbert Street just around the corner from the ‘Pepper Canister’ in a fine Georgian dwelling. It had all kinds of activities for young lads.

Arts and crafts were taught by Miss Barrett and woodwork by Mr Lynch. There was also a cobblers’ workshop where the art of shoe mending was taught. Jack Chase gave boxing lessons.
I myself joined the Brú in 1970 and really enjoyed woodwork. I usually ended up down in the woodwork room learning how to make little stools, pelmets, coffee tables, etc.

Mr. Lynch was an excellent tutor and on a few occasions when he was unable to attend, George Pope, who was a brother in the club, would stand in for him and what a character he was– and also a very good woodwork instructor.

We really enjoyed ourselves with George and Miss Barrett who taught us to make fire guards, wallets, statues and lots more.

Further on up the house was a gym, billiards & snooker rooms, darts & rings cards then down in the basement was the canteen where we could get bottles of minerals, crisps, chocolate etc. Young people from the Ringsend, Irishtown and Pearse Street areas had somewhere to go and enjoy themselves as well as to learn how to make things.

The Chaplin to the Brú during my time was Father Clarke who also taught us in the tech. The brothers were Paddy Quinn, Dickie Bow Lane, Brian Beggins, Joe Downey, George Pope to name a few of these men were dedicated to the welfare of the youths at that time. I remember those days very well and feel it was a great honour to be a part of it.

At the time the Brú was strictly a young man’s club and it was around 1972 when girls became full-time members.

Some of the girls were from Power’s Court. Alice McDonald, Ann Ennis, Cecilia Hopkins are just a few who come to mind. We had some great laughs. Some of the lads who I palled around with at the time were Tony Robinson, Paddy Donaldson, Christy Rooney, Tony Rooney and Thomas McKay to name a few. I believe the Club closed down around 1975.