Local man Rory Mc Atavie recently penned the piece below entitled ‘I REMEMBER’. It is a random recall of his memories of Ballybay and it has stirred loads of memories and emotions on social media. I hope you enjoy the read.
I remember getting silver wrap in Sodabarrels, playing football in Harrisons field, Murrays amusements in Anny Kings Lane, getting chips in Ta Tas, the smell of smoked fish in Corries, the two Mc Governs cutting grass out at Pearse Park, Vincy Cuningham playing the drums at the carnival on a Sunday afternoon, John Cassidy selling triangled milk cartons, Brian Brady senior running on to the pitch after Ballybay beat Blayney in 1987, Jim Leonard testing the fire alarm on a Saturday, Cla Mc Skean as Santy, Tommy Beatty whistling in the Street, doing that two legged thing at Gray’s shop where it looked like you were suspended in the air, counting the amount of Fiat cars in Joe Traynor’s yard, the moving display in O Kanes shop with Parker pens and fancy ashtrays, Benny smiths Christmas club, Tom Mc Ginnity defrosting the bus, Katie Dalys penny box, John Gilmor, Tommy Mc Crudden and Mary Treanor in the Supershow, Kieran Finlay scoring 1.09 in the Ulster Final in 1979, Power Park, Carneys Knickerbocker glory, John King and Jim Kerr running the Scouts, buying tins of prunes for my Grandmother in Johnsons, John Bodell’s shop, Slowey’s steps and their huge TV mast, Mrs O Reilly the dentist, Johnny Mc Ginn delivering meat from Mc Cabe’s butchers in the alley in O Duffy Terrace, Mc Aviney’s selling sweepstake tickets and Rice’s selling aspirin, Ma Mullally and Kathleen sitting on the bench outside of the pub. Manus Keenan and Larry Tuite taking us all over the country to Athletic meetings, Paul Mc Carthy winning a Railway cup medal playing in goals for Ulster. John Mc Aviney’s photo of the AIB during the Fleadh Ceol in 1987, Sandwiches for sale. The Pearse Brothers 120 draw, Bingo kellys eye and two little ducks, the monkey puzzles out the avenue, Rose Smiths on the brae, getting saw dust from Simon O Connell at Leahy’s for Mickey Duffy, the frenchman with his hang glider on Barney Lindens hill, Vincey Duffy from Gorsehill, Paddy Moen telling a yarn to Peter Mc Aviney. I can still hear the laughs of Peter, going to Irish dancing in Hall St School, Murnaghan’s moving into build what is now Lough Mor, Birthday parties at Smiths in Church Street, Donald Duck coming to Pat Lynch’s VG, Mollie in Caddens Hotel, Eamon Gorman in the FCA, The snooker table in St Patricks hall, Paul Flynn in the Credit Union, Yankee Daly in the gate house at the park, Mrs Brady’s shop with black and yellow tiles, the orchard behind the co op, getting stung by ants on the old railway line, buying the Beano in Taffees, Erskine Childers on an election campaign, Deda Ward wearing a black armband the morning after John Lennon was shot, losing 2p every year to Paddy Dillon on football bets, the bank being robbed, Karl Heinz and our German friends, Joe Bairds shore, Francie Duffy the postman, Murnane’s factory, the weighing scales in the Chemists, the Corona Cafe, Ben Brady going out to his farm on the Clones road, Hank Locklan at the football field, the pig race on main street, Town v Country football games, the fancy dress parades, playing on the swings and slides at Riverdale, Dixons green Volvo, the turkey mart, the tennis court in the park, Hypp products, John the barber, Ciste Gael, Pat Keenan feeding his dogs at the meadows, getting the axle of a soapbox repaired at Leonards, Feeney’s Garage, bottles of bubble up from Georges chipper, Kiernan’s shop and pub, Beef, Chicken or Fish in Lynch’s pub, Brendy Smith and the Ballybay news, Carragher’s on the brae, the hall street gang, going to see the Pope in Ballybrit, Cassie Lynches, filling gas cylinders for my uncle Pat, Martin Gallagher and his Bedford lorry ( and his Daughter !! ), Mrs Mc Grath’s shop, Tony Keenan and the pub quizzes, Mc Quillian’s pub on the steps, concerts in Derryvalley Hall, the boat house at the park, Ballybay Beano week, the plastic factory, Molly Carroll ringing the bell at the Church, the new fire station, the nuns cycling to town, circus in the park, Chicken in the rough, take your pick in O Brien’s, the shop in stookies, playing in the gardens at the Blayney road, Seamus Farmer and his taxis, Dr Smiths surgery, a dog show in the mart, Ballybay County Hurling winners in 1976, David Moffatts butchers, Mick Mc Cabe’s drapers, Badminton in Church Street hall, some mad eejit bringing a motorbike in to the disco at Riverdale, Breslin’s shop on the way home from school, Crawfords shop at Christmas, in fact Crawfords everyday, Eddie O Brien’s framed pike in Mena’s, Frank Stewards busses, the Century Bar when part of it was a shop, Mrs Maddens shop on St Patricks Street, Wooden barrels of blackberries outside Mc Entee’s and Mc Ginnitty’s shops, the wooden spoon, loose biscuits, Pagoda tea, Green Shield stamps, Connolly’s drapers, Jim Finlay’s bus out at the tech, Billy Maguires cobbler shop, School leagues in the park, buying bananas in Barneys, nails in Brennans and mince in Dans, Munster Simms on the Blayney road, the old gasworks behind Fullers house in Hall Street, the young wives club, Charlie Lennons and Clarkes shoe shops, tip top bread, O Neill’s donuts, Franny Leonards shop, Alice Boylan’s shop on Main Street, Jars of Heinz baby food in O Mahoney’s, Farrelly’s rusks and Liga. Sergeant Maguire and officers Conway, Drum, Naughton and Gleeson. Conlon’s pub and shop, politicians giving speeches from the back of lorries at election time, Mary Monaghan’s shop, Mc Quillian’s pub on the main Street, buying handballs in Cooney’s shop, Mrs Murphys shop beside Corries stores later Georges, gathering potatoes for Toners down Anny Kings lane, meeting a couple of lassies from Dublin in Liams one night they stopped off for a break on route to Donegal and stayed for three days, scor and scor na og, Willie Mc Entee’s and John Wests pubs, Mrs Mc Ginnity’s Mayfair saloon, the buses dropping of parcels to Wards shop, Packie Callens jammed on a mart day, Molly Courtney at the Doctors, the Mighty Midgets, Cecelia’s shop, Molly Fitzpatrick’s, Mc Cann’s bread in Toners, Donnelly’s sausages, Matterson’s peas and Chiver’s jam, Mc Murrays butcher shop, Mrs Mc Cormill’s on the brae, Molly Duffy’s at the Tech, Ballybay scrapbook by John Mc Ivor, Cassidy’s buses to Dublin, Annie Mc Glone” two pound if you please”, the County jerseys on Annie Mc Skeans line, Mrs Duffy and Rose , Cassie and Frank Mc Cabe, Marta and Willie Ruthledge and Mrs Murphy our close neighbours in Hall Street, snapper bars and golf ball chewing gum not to mention Candy Cigarettes, Chicken Maryland, vesta curries and angel delight, Double Diamond beer, Blue band margarine, Orielman in the Standard, ringing the phone and hearing number please, Joe Hannratty’s the barbers. Mc Donnell’s knitwear factory.
Finally, I remember the work and research that the late Peadar Murnane compiled making it so much easier to check facts relating to the town and our community, I for one will be always grateful. Thank you Peadar RIP. Thats it folks it’s a random recall of my memories of the town I could go on but I hope I captured many of the people and events that mean so much to me. If I left something out and with respect, I am sure I did, please feel free to add to the story or correct any errors in my post.