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Dear Editor The nice stuff out of the way, now to the bad stuff. I made such a lasting impression on Ann when I called in last month with the Ringsend picture that she forgot my name. Donal McKenna is my name not Donal McCann! The picture looks great and hopefully readers will be able to fill in the detail of what the cup was about. As you know, family history is my hobby and a letter in this issue’s Letterbox (Jean Lynch in Australia) is of interest as this lady mentions passing her copy of News Four along to another Ringsender– an 80 year old named Hayes whose grandmother was Kate Daly, nee Maguire who ran the shop opposite the Regal. As this 80 year old lady is my second cousin is there any way that I could make contact? Donal McKenna Address passed on to Donal
Dear Editor The Light Vessel Petrel or the Albatross were in drydock at that time. The man below him is my father Joe Purdy and my uncle John and cousin Tom are in the front row. The cup was for rowing and the two girls lived in the caretaker’s lodge. Tom Purdy
Dear Editor Having married an Englishman (who came over for a rugby match) 50 years ago, we are only back living in Ireland since 2004 and through a friend I got to hear about the two great books on Sandymount which my husband bought for me from your office. I love getting NewsFour and therefore I have to apologise for not sending you some funds earlier, It had always been my intention to do so but you know how time goes by. I am a Mooney originally from O’Connell Gardens and later from Seaforth Avenue.There was another family of Mooneys in Derrynane Gardens and, in fact, in my sister’s class– she was known as ‘Red Betty’ and the other Betty Mooney as ‘Black Betty’. We had a lovely childhood growing up around Bath Avenue. I remember roller skating down Londonbridge in a crocodile (not so much traffic then) and also wonderful games on the Strand and picnics down the Shelly Banks. We also played on the Dodder Bank and lit dixies and cooked potatoes. The sound of the sheep on Landsdowne Road was part of my childhood. Lovely memories and names from the past keep occurring in your newspaper and it is a great pleasure to read it. You are doing a fabulous job-please keep it up. Mrs Ethel Siggins (mother of Brian and David) and my mother were very good friends and Mrs Siggins regularly came to Sunday tea where they ate their tea by the open fire from a trolley in the dining room while we came and went from the kitchen. I Ioved writing and telling stories in those days and they were my greatest fans. Best Wishes
Dear Editor Due to a forecasted deficit of €9.6 million Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin will shut down three wards this year, starting with St Joseph’s which will close on May 14th with two more to close in July and August. HSE hospital network manager John Bulfin has said that “savings should be targeted to ensure frontline patient care services are appropriately maintained.” What precisely John Bulfin means by appropriate services is unclear given that before the end of the summer there will be over 7,000 fewer in-patient bed days at the hospital. Theatres will also close and there will also be a 15% reduction in day case activity along with a 15% reduction in outpatient activity. Two ‘play’ specialists are to go this week, specialists whose work is crucially important for many children. It is expected that the contracts of 17 household workers will not be renewed in May. There will be cuts in agency staffing and in staff holding temporary contracts, and also in overtime and on-call payments. I believe these measures are completely unacceptable. It’s time Fianna Fáil and the Green Party woke up and realised that the nation’s health is about more than a set of accounts. If they can find billions to bail out the banks, then they can find the €9 million necessary to guarantee our children’s future. Yours etc
The Star of the Sea Football photo (right) sent in by Mary Rollo brought so many happy memories flooding back. I remember Billy, he was in my class in school and our teacher was a lovely man (Mr Daly). Mr McCarthy and Mr Ted Cooling were our sports teachers and trainers. Two great men who gave so much of their time, although Mr Cooling was not a happy man when I left Clanna Gael and started to play soccer full time. Billy Rollo lived in Hastings Street and I do hope he is keeping well. I am enclosing the names on the photo as well as I can remember. I play golf with my lifelong school friends Willie Roche and Joe Whelan (Cambridge Road). I would love to hear from any of my old school mates or friends from South Lotts Road. So many great footballers came from Ringsend and Sandymount. Yours sincerely, The Star of the Sea picture was sent in by Mary Rollo of Sydney, Australia and was carried in the last edition. Our thanks to Jim Kinsella and Joe Corcoran who also got in touch with us about this photograph and we believe the lineup to be as follows: Back row, from left: Gerry Culliton; Jimmy Flood; Gerry O’Sullivan; Tucker Murray; Jim Kinsella; Willie Roche; Liam Greenhalgh?; Jim Houlihan; Gerry Brannock; Sean Aherne and Barney Ward. Front Row: P? Pedreschi; Liam Clarke; Joe Nolan; Joe Corcoran; Billy Rollo; Bobby Breen; Sam? Donnelly; Noel Carroll, D? Geoghan. |
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Dear Editor