May Nolan from Lea Road in Sandymount wrote to us in our last edition and shared some memories of life growing up in Sandymount. May wrote regularly for Ireland’s Own back in the 60s and 70s and has kept most of her articles, of which we might see one or two of in News Four in the future. May is the oldest inhabitant of Lea Road, which is situated just off Strand Road and leads down almost as far as Lakelands Convent.

May’s memories stretch back to the mid 1920s when she first went to live on Lea Road with her parents. There were only six houses and it was surrounded by fields. It certainly paints a different picture to the Lea Road of today.

There was no Durham Road at that time and sheep could be found grazing in a field nearby which later became part of Gilford Road. May and her school friend had many a scratched knee from climbing trees in the area. When they weren’t climbing trees they might be found cycling along the Strand Road dodging the waves– the tide came right up to the sea wall back then and May got many a good soaking.

Shopping was done in Leverette and Frye, which was situated on the corner of Sandymount Green where the Spar shop is today, or Findlater’s which is now Mario’s Italian Restaurant. However, the local kids’ favourite was Miss Paisley’s sweet shop on Seafort Avenue, where you could feast on a variety of sweets, eight for a penny. God be with the days, you won’t get value for money like that again.

Whilst walking to School, the Holy Faith Convent on Haddington Road, it was a familiar sight for May to pass the horse-drawn carts which delivered bread and milk to the houses at that time. The driver would be perched on top as he rattled his way along with his load.

On the odd occasion she did make use of the local transport, which happened to be the bogey tram. This was a topless tram which travelled along Bath Avenue and was specially customized to fit under the bridge at the end of the road. The fare was a penny ha’penny or three ha’pence as they called it. They were happy days spent in Holy Faith, and May still sees one of her former teachers Marjorie Quinn in and around Sandymount today.

After her school years she went to work for Imco, the dry cleaning company in Merrion, owned by the three Spiro Brothers– Louis, Harold and Campbell. They eventually sold out to Prescotts but they kept May on, working in their offices in Pembroke Road.

Finding them very generous employers, May continued working for them for over 20 years. Louis, the oldest brother, had a sponsored programme with Eamon Andrews at the time, it was called ‘The Imco Show’. Some of our older readers might remember it, they called themselves ‘Spotless and Stainless’.

May and her husband Patrick loved to travel and made sure to make the most of this during the years they had together. May has many stories from around the world, but her favourite was when she and Patrick were in Durban St. Africa on Saint Patrick’s day some years ago.

On the lookout for some festivities in honour of St. Patrick, they spotted a hotel named Killarney, written in big green letters over the top. Convinced that this was where the action was, they went inside. May approached the African gentleman behind the desk and said “Is there anything going on for Saint Patrick today?” To which he replied, “I don’t know, what room is he in?”.

May has many more amusing stories like this, enough to write a book, and maybe she just might, it’s never too late.

May is pictured, above , during a trip to Canada.