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Some notes on history of Vegetarianism in Dublin Pt. II (1933 – 1996)

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(In terms of food history, we’ve previously looked at the city’s oldest restaurants, the first Chinese restaurants, the first Italian restaurants, the first pizzerias and the first Indian restaurants)

This is part two of our series looking at the history of Vegetarianism in Dublin, primarily focusing on restaurants and cafes. Part One began in the 1860s and finished up in the early 1920s.

We pick up the story in the 1930s…

Frank Wyatt, editor of Vegetarian News and Secretary of the London Vegetarian Society, gave a talk in January 1933 on Vegetarianism in the Mansion House. The Irish Times (17 Jan) noted that the meeting was mostly made up of women. Wyatt, a vegetarian of twenty years standing, told the room that he was ‘satisfied that he was a healthier man than any flesh eater’.

A report in the Irish Press on the first annual meeting of the resurrected Dublin Vegetarian Society in 1947.
The Irish Press, 5 March 1947

The Irish Press, 5 March 1947

Moira Henry pictured at the 1947 11th International Vegetarian Union Congress whcih took place at Wycliffe College in Stonehouse, England:
Moira Henry as one of the delegates at the 11th IVU World Vegetarian Congress 1947. Stonehouse, England. Credit - http://www.ivu.org

Moira Henry as one of the delegates at the 11th IVU World Vegetarian Congress 1947. Stonehouse, England. Credit – http://www.ivu.org

Remarkably on 26 February 1949, the Irish Press interviewed ‘the only vegan in Ireland’ – Moira Henry (mentioned in piece above). She told the reporter that she had been a vegetarian since 1930 and a vegan for the last four years .The journalist defined a vegan as a ‘vegetarian who not only eschews fish, flesh and fowl but also such by-products as eggs, milk, cheese and margarine’. Moira, Honorary Secretary of the Dublin Vegetarian Society, revealed that the membership of the organisation was currently 32.
Moira Henry passed away in 1997. The Irish Times, 10 March 1997.

Moira Henry passed away in 1997. The Irish Times, 10 March 1997.

Patrick Campbell (aka Quidnunc) interviewed Florence H. Gourlay, honorary treasurer of the Dublin Vegetarian Society for An Irishman’s Diary on 5 March 1951. Gourlay admitted that the organisation only had 33 members (an increase of 1 since 1949!) but she knew of 104 vegetarians altogether in the Republic. It was noted that while Belfast had a vegetarian restaurant, Dublin did not.

In March 1955 Geoffrey Rudd, secretary to the Vegetarian Society (Britain), addressed a public meeting on the principles and uses of the vegetarian ideals at the Central Hotel, Dublin. An article in The Irish Times (1 March) noted that the Dublin Vegetarian Society was founded in 1946 and presently had around 50 members. The original Dublin Vegetarian Society had been founded in the 1890s but ‘went out of existence during the first world war‘. A member of the society told the newspaper that:
while Dublin had no purely vegetarian restaurant, hotels and restaurants generally were becoming more sympathetic towards their needs and could usually provide vegetarian meals if notice was given beforehand. Most of the members agree that a specialist restaurant would be a step forward but this would take time as well as a ‘lot of hard work and some capital’.
Theodora Fitzgibbon in The Irish Times (7 Nov 1969) wrote that she felt sorry for vegetarians as there was no such thing as a ‘purely vegetarian restaurant’ in Dublin. Two years later (18 Oct 1971). Sean Doherty wrote to the Irish Press also complaining that the country’s capital city did not have a vegetarian restaurant and the ‘once thriving’ Vegetarian Society was no longer active.

All changed the following year with the arrival of Good Karma at 4 Great Strand Street. As far as I can work out, this was the first purely vegetarian restaurant in the city since the College Vegetarian Restaurant closed its doors in 1922. It was opened by Jas Adams, Peter Lawson and Robert and Aaron Bartlett.

Site of Good Karma. 4 Great Strand Street as it looks today. Credit – infomatique

Elgy Gillespie in The Irish Times  (11 September 1972) described the restaurant as having a:
long room with wooden pillers and a cosily dim glow from candles and firelight. The table (made by the owners) are high if you like sitting up to your food: low if you prefer to loll across the tie-dyed cushions also made by the owners … Taj Mahal, Doctor Pepper and Crosby, Stills and Nash provided lush sounds in the background  … it makes a wholesome change from the stagnancy of Dublin eating.
I believe Good Karma only lasted a year as Gabrielle Williams in The Irish Times (7 December 1973) described it has having being ‘recently’ closed down by the Eastern Health Board. A reminiscing Sonia Kelly in the same paper on 11 February 1976 described their kitchen as ‘immaculate’ but was ‘closed for tripping over an obscure regulation’.

John S Doyle writing in the Irish Independent in 2005 remembered Good Karma as a:

A ‘head’ restaurant not everyone knew about, with bare brick walls and no seats, only bean bags, and mellow ‘sounds’. Nice food, none of your macrobiotic stuff. The ‘staff’ were laidback types who said “all right man”, and you were to take it as a privilege to be served by them. This was 1974 (sic) or so. There were numerous Garda raids, and the restaurant didn’t last long.
Restaurant reviewer Paolo Tullio on a recent trip down memory lane called Good Karma:

…Dublin’s first macrobiotic restaurant back in the early seventies and it was filled with, run by and staffed with hippies …What made it a nice place, perhaps more than the food, was the amateur attitude of everyone involved. You never felt that it was a commercial enterprise. Sure, money changed hands, but somehow you felt you were part of a social and gastronomic experiment.

It’s pretty amazing that there are so many positive memories of a place that was open for little more than twelve months.

While the restaurant closed, the health food shop, Green Acres, in the basement remained open. Patrick Comerford in The Irish Times (39 July 1975) interviewed the owner, Philip Guiney. He told Comeford that ‘not all the staff, and only a quarter of (his) customers’ were vegetarian. Open for three years, an increasing number of older people were visiting the ship realising that it was ‘not just a place for young freaks’. These older people came to ‘supplement their diets with natural foods, and probably a small number had become vegetarian out of economic necessary‘.

The journalist also mentioned the Ormond Health Centre (run by a Mr. Evans) on Parliament Street which sold dandelion coffee, Honeyrose cigarettes and herbal tea and the Irish Health and Herbal Centre on Trinity Street (run by Ann Flood and Michael McDonald) which was ‘not vegetarian orientated by any means’ but sold a lot of products popular with the vegetarian community.

In the late 1970s, there were a number of whole-food restaurants in Dublin including Munchies at 60 Bolton Street, The Golden Dawn on Crow Street and the Supernatural Tearooms at 53 Harcourt Street.

Here is a short piece on Munchies from 1977:

The Irish Times, 6 December 1977

The Irish Times, 6 December 1977

The Golden Dawn, established in 1976, was described by Christy Stapleton of the Vegetarian Society of Ireland in the late 1990s as ‘the closest thing to a vegetarian restaurant in Dublin’ at the time. Ran by showband singer Joe Fitzmaurice and his wife, it used to be a favourite of actors Gabriel Byrne, Vinny McCabe and Garrett Keogh while DJ Paul Webb worked there as an assistant cook and Golden Horde frontman Simon Carmody as dishwasher. Here is a link to a great 1978 RTE piece on the restaurant.

Screengrab from 1978 RTE piece on The Golden Dawn restaurant.

Screengrab from 1978 RTE piece on The Golden Dawn restaurant.

A vegetarian restaurant called The Harvest was operating in 1979 on the top of Harcourt Street and then at 1 Lincoln Place by early 1983. I assume they were connected. An Irish Times journalist visited the the Harcourt Street Harvest restaurant and wrote in the paper on 14 December 1979 that she enjoyed her meal of:

Chickpea pea (50p) .. a tasty and sustaining … starter. For main course there’s a wide choice but the aduki bean hamburger with rice, salad and a choice of sauce (£1.80) is something to linger over

Bananas, a self-service vegetarian restaurant, was opened at 15 Upper Stephens St by Muriel Goodwin and friends in late 1982. Lorraine Kennedy reviewed it for The Irish Times on 15 October 1983. She said she was more than happy with her ‘starter of celery soup sprinkled with watercres .. for 85p … (and) a vegetable pizza (£1.20) accompanied by a mixed salad of orange, celery and more watercress’.

Also in 1982, Blazing Salads was established as a wholefood restaurant by the pioneering Fitzmaurice family after they decided to wind down The Golden Dawn. Based at the top floor of the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre until 2001, the family moved operations to a new deli-style premises on Drury Street where it is still open today.

The Well Fed Cafe was opened in 1983 at 6 Crow Street as part of the Dublin Resource Centre (DRC) and lasted until the at least mid 1990s. A Workers Co-Operative, it served delicious veggie food at a very cheap cost and won numerous award.

Around 1984, a veggie restaurant and wine bar called Rays opened in the premises of the former Golden Dawn in Crow Street.

Cornucopia Wholefood and Vegetarian Restaurant, the granddaddy of Dublin veggie restaurants, began trading on Wicklow Street in January 1986 and has been there ever since. It was established by Neil McCafferty (1952-1993) and Deirdre McCafferty, who is still the proprietor of the restaurant.

Some early shots of Cornucopia. Credit - cornucopia.ie

Some early shots of Cornucopia. Credit – cornucopia.ie

In the late 1980s, the Hare Krishnas opened a Veggie restaurant on Crow Street (where Tasty Zoes is now). It lasted for about a year. In 1998, they opened their first Govinda’s restaurant at 4 Aungier Street. That’s still open and they’ve a further two in the city, one on Middle Abbey Street and one on Merrion Row.

In 1987, a ‘demi-veg’ restaurant called It’s Natural opened up beside the Olympia Theatre on Dame Street. Also that year, a vegetarian restaurant called Second Nature opened its doors in Blackrock by sisters Fiona and Susan Bergin.

The Irish Press, 22 April 1988

Piece on Vegetarianism.The Irish Press, 22 April 1988

Cranks, a UK vegetarian restaurant franchise, opened on the first floor of Bewley’s on Westmoreland Street in 1989. I’m not sure how long it lasted.

Opened in early 1996, Juice on South Great George’s Street was Dublin’s only sit-down vegetarian restaurant for many years. Open until midnight, it was a popular place until its closure in 2011

I’ll leave it that. It would take too much work trying to trace the various veggie restaurants that have come and gone in the city since the mid 1990s.

Appendix 1:

It seems there have been three different incarnations of Vegetarian Societies in Dublin:

Dublin Vegetarian Society, 1880s – mid 1910s

Dublin Vegetarian Society, 1946 – early 1960s

Vegetarian Society of Ireland, 1978 – Present



Irish Archives and History Projects on Facebook

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As part of background research for my dissertation, I am trying to collate a list of Irish archives/museums and community/individual history projects that have an active Facebook page and post historical material. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far.

Do you know of anymore?

Cultural/Social:

Dublin Dockers – Amazing selection of scanned images. Post regularly.

Irish Queer Archive – Excellent quality of scans and descriptions of items. Posts every few days.

Irish Photo Archive – Amazing selection of images. Updated at least once a day.

Irish Traditional Music Archive – Mainly contemporary posts. Some historical images.

Where Were You? – Series of photos posted in batches every other week. Lots of personal comments and memories.

Gay Health Action (GHA) 60's Night Benefit Disco. Flyer, designer unattributed. 1985 [Ephemera Collection, IQA/NLI]

Gay Health Action (GHA) Benefit Disco at Sides DC. Flyer, designer unattributed. 1985 [Ephemera Collection, IQA/NLI]

Established:

Irish Architectural Archive – Post regularly but not much historical stuff.

County Archives

- Clare – Updated quite a bit. Interesting conservation photos.

- Cork – Very irregular posts. Some historical material.

- Donegal -Updated quite regularly. Mainly historical items.

- Waterford – Updated quite regularly. Some historical material.

Glasnevin Museum – Great mixture of posts about contemporary issues (tour guides etc.) and historical bits and pieces.

National Library of Ireland – Excellently run page. Updated regularly.

Political:

Irish Anarchist History Archive – Irregular posts of scanned up documents or photos.

Irish Student Movement Research Project – Nice mixture of scans and short text posts.

Official Republican/WP Archive – Diverse selection of photos and newspaper clippings. Some scans not of high quality.

Students outside Dail Eireann highlighting the Stardust (Artane, 1981) and the Central Hotel (Bundoran, 1980) fire disasters. Credit - Irish Student Movement Research Project.

Students outside Dail Eireann highlighting the Stardust (Artane, 1981) and the Central Hotel (Bundoran, 1980) fire disasters. Credit – Irish Student Movement Research Project.

Religious:

Capuchin Archive - Post fantastic historical documents every other day.

Sport:

Dublin Maccabi (Jewish sporting club)  – All historical photos and documents. Lots of personal comments and memories.

Jackie Jameson Irish Football Legend (Bohs) – Mainly historical photos being posted.

Dalymount Park in 1952. Credit - Jackie Jameson Irish Football Legend

Dalymount Park in 1952. Credit – Jackie Jameson Irish Football Legend


Post Punk Party in Grand Social this Friday

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Strange Passion, 31 May 2013

Strange Passion, 31 May 2013

Three Irish Post Punk bands return to the stage this Friday after a 30 year hiatus following the release of critically acclaimed compilation Strange Passion in 2012.

The Grand Social, Dublin. Friday 31st May. Doors open 8pm. First band on at 8.30pm sharp. €12 entry.

Line up:

The SM Corporation(Irish rock entry)

Dublin electronic experimenters come electro-pop pioneers 1978-1987 made up of Tina O’Brien (vocals), Paul Wynne (Keyboards, Rhythms) and Steve Rapid (Keyboards, Noises)

SM Corporation, 1979.

SM Corporation, 1979.

Chant! Chant! Chant! (Irish Rock entry)

Dublin post punk legends (reminiscent of The Birthday Party and Gang Of Four) made up of Eoin Freeney (vocals), Robby Wogan (guitar), Larry Murphy (bass) and Paul Monahan (drums). Supported the The Fall in Cork & the infamous 4 BE 2′s charade in the Trinity JCR.

Chant! Chant! Chant!,  1980

Chant! Chant! Chant!, 1980

Choice

Dundalk electronic pop band formed in 1980 with Brian McMahon (aka Dougie Devlin) on bass, Ciaran Vernon (aka CV) on synths, Noel McCabe on drums and Jaki McCarrick on vocals. With the departure of drummer, the band became a three-piece – with a drum machine.

Choice, early 1980s

Choice, early 1980s

For those interested, check out our previous post – Dublin Punk & New Wave singles timeline (1977 – 1983)


Reactionary murders in Ireland

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There have been a small but not insignificant number of reactionary murders in Dublin and on the island of Ireland since the 1920s. I have tried to compile a list of these here. They are divided up into areas of anti-Semitism, homophobia and racism.

I have purposely not included murders in regard to nationality (Irish/English) or religion (Catholic/Protestant), as due to this island’s history, these are a completely different matter.

Obviously not all murders of ‘foreign nationals’ in Ireland can be considered ‘racist’. Those that have been included all had a racial element to them though.

Anti-Semitism:

31 October 1923: Bernard Goldberg, Dublin
Golderg (42), a Manchester jeweller and father of four, was shot on St Stephen’s Green after three men had stopped him and his brother Samuel and demanded their names.

The Weekly Irish Times, 3 November 1923.

The Weekly Irish Times, 3 November 1923.

14 November 1923: Emmanuel Kahn, Dublin
Dublin-born Kahn (24) of Lennox Street, was gunned down in Stamer Street in Portobello as he returned home after an evening playing cards. David Millar, who was with him in the Jewish Club in Harrington Street, was also shot in the shoulder but managed to stagger home.

The principal instigator of these two murders was Commandant James Patrick Conroy, who claimed to have resigned from the army in December 1924 because he disagreed with the policy of the then government. He fled to Mexico and then to the United States, along with with two other suspects, after the incidents. No-one was ever convicted. A curious footnote to the whole affair was found in remarks in the Dail in February 1934, when Fianna Fail finance minister Sean McEntee claimed that one of the killers was walking free, and was a member of the fascist-style Blueshirts organisation.

Sexuality:

3 June 1979: Anthony McCleave, Belfast
McLeave was murdered in one of the city’s best known ‘cruising areas’. He was found with his head rammed onto a spike on a protective bollard outside the fire station on Chichester Street. The RUC closed the case within twenty-four hours but was it reopened after a campaign by the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association (NIGRA) which was backed by the McCleave family. No-one was ever charged with his death.

8 September 1982: John Roche, Cork
Roche (29), a gay man, was murdered by Michael O’Connor in the Munster Hotel in Cork City. The victim, who worked in the hotel as a night porter, was found tied to a chair in one of the bedrooms. He had been stabbed in the chest with a 15cm (6″ ) knife. Repulsed by the victim’s alleged advances O’Connor stabbed Roche, telling him “Your gay days are over”. Michael O’Connor was found by a jury to be not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

Evening Press, 11th May 1983. Credit - Irish Queer Archive

Evening Press, 11th May 1983. Credit – Irish Queer Archive

November 1982: Henry McLarnon, Ballymena, Co. Antrim
McLarnon (22), father of two, was murdered by Richard John Nicholl in Ballymena. In court, Nicholl said that McLarnon had lured him to the quarry where he had made a sexual advance. In response, he stabbed McLarnon with a work tool. There was controversy at the trial when Nicholl was convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter and received a two-year suspended sentence. In 2002, Nicholl took his own life.

21 January 1982: Charles Self, Dublin
Self (33), a RTE set designer originally from Glasgow, was murdered in his flat on Brighton Avenue, Monkstown. He was found with knife wounds to his chest and neck. The investigation led to almost 1,500 gay men being questioned, photographed and fingerprinted at Pearse Street Garda Station. For many in the gay community, it felt like the police were more interested in compiling dossiers on gay men rather than solving the brutal murder. No-one was ever charged.

9 September 1983: Declan Flynn, Fairview Park, Dublin
Flynn (31), an Aer Rianta worker, was beaten to death by a group of five teenagers in a ‘gay-bashing’ incident in Fairview Park. The gang had been responsible for a spate of attacks on gay men in previous weeks and it emerged that they used the park to target members of the gay community. As Flynn lay dying, £4 from his pocket and his watch was stolen. In court, one of the teenagers admitted that “we were all part of the team to get rid of the queers from Fairview Park”. The five male teenagers were all released on a suspended manslaughter charge with Judge Sean Gannon saying “This could never be regarded as murder”.

Fairview Park Protest March photographed on Amiens Street by Derek Speirs, courtesy "Out For Ourselves" (Womens Community Press, 1986). Credit - Irish Queer Archives

Fairview Park Protest March photographed on Amiens Street by Derek Speirs, courtesy “Out For Ourselves” (Womens Community Press, 1986). Credit – Irish Queer Archives

7 February 1997: David J. Templeton, Belfast
Templeton (43) was a minister of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland who was murdered after he was ‘outed’ as a gay man by the Sunday Life newspaper. Three men wearing balaclavas, believed to have been UVF members, entered his home in north Belfast and beat him with baseball bats with spikes driven through them. He died in hospital several weeks later.

(Note: Some websites list Darren Bradshaw, a gay men and RUC officer, murdered in 1997 by the INLA as a homophobic murder. However, it is probably fair to say that he was killed because of his occupation rather than his sexuality?)

7 September 2002: Ian Flanagan, Belfast
Flanagan (30), a civil servant, was battered with a wheel brace and stabbed with a kitchen knife in the grounds of Barnett’s Demesne park. His two killers ‘deliberately set out to target a member of the gay community’. Raymond Taylor was sentenced to 13 years and Trevor Peel was given 14 years.

3 December 2002: Aaron (Warren) McCauley, Belfast
McCauley (54), a nurse for over 30 years at Muckamore Abbey hospital, was lured and battered to death in a well-known ‘cruising’ spot. He was found in an alley just 30 yards from the Church Lane toilets and died two days later without regaining consciousness. The attack was believed to have been motivated by homophobia. His injuries consisted of a blow to the side of the head and another to the throat. Nobody was ever charged.

23 March 2008: Shaun Fitzpatrick, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone
Fitzpatrick (32), a supermarket manager, was kicked to death after leaving Donaghy’s Bar by two homophobic Lithuanian men. The court heard that when Mr Fitzpatrick’s body was found, he had been beaten so savagely that paramedics thought he had been shot. The pair were sentenced to to life imprisonment.

5 February 2012: Andrew Lorimer, Lurgan, Co. Armagh
Lorimer (43), a former canoeing instructor and security guard, was kicked and beaten to death with a hammer in his own flat in Portlec Place. Three men were charged with the ‘homophobic murder’.

Race:

24 December 1982: Abousef Abdussalem Salim, Limerick
Salim (21), a Libyan trainee airplane pilot, was stabbed in the head with a screwdriver by a Limerick man who screamed ‘nigger’ and ‘bastard’ before the attack at a taxi rank on Thomas Street. The attacker was sentenced to five years penal servitude for manslaughter.

The Irish Independent, 3 February 1984.

The Irish Independent, 3 February 1984.

24 June 1996: Simon Tang, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim
Tang (27), a Chinese businessman, was beaten and robbed as he left his takeaway business in Carrickfergus. Described by police as a ‘racist attack’, the father of two had his watch and the night’s takings stolen. He was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries. In 2002, two men were remanded in custody charged with the murder but they were later released. No-one has been convicted of the killing.

27 January January 2002: Zhao Liu Tao, Dublin
Tao (29), a Chinese student of English, was attacked by a five-member gang in Beaumont, on the northside of the city. The gang were reported as making racist taunts and a fracas followed. One of the youths struck Mr Zhao with a metal bar. He died three days later in Beaumont Hospital. An 18-year-old youth was sentenced to four years detention, the last two years were suspended because of the perpetrators age and the fact that he had no previous convictions.

29 August 2002: Leong Ly Min, Dublin
Min (50), who had been living in Dublin since 1979 after fleeing Vietnam, was assaulted in Temple Bar. He suffered head injuries and later died in hospital. Two men were charged in relation to this crime. At the time it was reported by the media that there might have been racist insults used during the attack.

Anti-Racist protest after murder of Leong Ly Min. Credit - An Phoblact

Anti-Racist protest after murder of Leong Ly Min. Credit – An Phoblact

23 February 2010: Pawel Kalite and Marius Szwajkos, Dublin
Kalite (28) and Szwajkos (27), Polish nationals, were racially abused before being stabbed in the head with screwdrivers on Benbulben Road, Drimnagh. Two Dublin teenagers are currently serving mandatory life sentences.

2 April 2010: Toyosi Shittabey, Dublin
Shittabey (15), a talented footballer originally from Nigeria, died after being stabbed in Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15. A row with “racist undertones” began outside the house of Paul Barry at Mount Garrett Rise between Paul, his brother Michael and a group of black males and white females after one of the females asked Paul for a cigarette lighter and he had refused. Believing a phone was taken by the group, Mr Barry and his brother Paul went into his house to fetch a knife and then pursued them in a car. They encountered the group of teenagers at a roundabout in Tyrrelstown. Shittabey, known as “Toy”, urged his friends to walk away again but was stabbed in the heart by Paul Barry The two brothers were charged with murder. Paul Barry (40) committed suicide the day before the trial was due to begin. His brother Michael (26) was acquitted because it was his brother inflicted the stab wound. It transpired that Paul had been involved in another racist knife attack ten years previously.


Postcard views of Dublin

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Many thanks to Mick Healy for sending these on.

'Postcard views of Dublin'

‘Postcard views of Dublin’

O'Connell St

O’Connell St

College Green

College Green

Parnell Monument

Parnell Monument

St. Stephen's Green

St. Stephen’s Green


Photos from the 1970 funeral of Liam Walsh (Saor Eire)

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On 13 October 1970 Saor Eire member Liam Walsh, a welder and fitter by trade and father of four, was killed in a premature explosion when himself and another member Martin Casey were planting a device at a railway line at the rear of McKee army base off Blackhorse Avenue in Dublin.

Joining the Republican Movement in 1953, Walsh had been the commanding officer of the south Dublin unit of the IRA during the late 1950s and was interned for a time in the Curragh. He lived at 50 Tyrone Place, Inchicore and, at the time of his death, was awaiting trail on charge of taking part in an armed bank raid at Baltinglass in August 1969.

Liam Walsh in IRA uniform. Photograph belonged to the late Paddy Browne.

Liam Walsh in IRA uniform. Photograph belonged to the late Paddy Browne.

We have been passed on some photographs of his funeral by Barbara O’Reilly. The photographs belonged to the late Paddy Browne who can be seen in the third picture with beard carrying a flag at the front of the colour party .

The funeral took place on 17 October 1970 and was attended by over 3,000 people.

The cortege left from Inchicore, was diverted down O’Connell Street and marched all the way to Mount Jerome cemetery in Harold’s Cross.

Funeral of Liam Walsh (Saor Eire), 1970. Photos were in possession of the late Paddy Browne

Here is the cortege as it made its way down O’Connell Street. Note the two hands with revolvers.

The Irish Times (20 October 1970) described how after a piper played a lament:

Two men, dressed in black berets and anoraks, fired four rounds of ammunition into the air as a tribute to the dead man.

An estimated 50 gardai and a dozen special branch accompanied the cortege but no action was taken.

XXX

Funeral of Liam Walsh (Saor Eire), O’Connell St, 1970. Photos were in possession of the late Paddy Browne

Here is the colour party as it entered the cemetery. The Irish Times (19 October 1970) reported that an elderly man shouted ‘So long soldier!” as his coffin was being lowered.

Funeral of Liam Walsh (Saor Eire), 1970.

Funeral of Liam Walsh (Saor Eire) arriving at Mount Jerome Cemetery, 1970. Photos were in possession of the late Paddy Browne


Sweeney Todd’s – Dublin Hairdresser (late 1970s/early 80s)

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Sweeney Todd advertisement

Sweeney Todd advertisement (nd)

Sweeney Todd’s was a unisex hairdresser based over Dunnes Stores at 10 Exchequer Street, just off South Great George’s Street and opposite the Central Hotel.

It did a wash and shave for men and women for £3

It was known for playing ska, punk and RnB over its soundsystem and was popular with a lot of Dublin’s music and left-wing radical crowd.

Sweeney Todd hairdressers

Sweeney Todd hairdressers

Their phone number was ’771265′. There may have been some connection with Lillians Hairstylists, at Johnsons Court off Grafton St, as they used the same number in the late 1960s/early 1970s.

Sweeney Todd’s was certainly open up until at least 1984.

Anyone have any memories of it?

Not sure if Shay Murphy (below) frequented Sweeney Todd’s but thought it was suitable enough to post in the article. Many thanks to Mick Healy for passing on these three scanned images.

Piece on greaser Shay Murphy

Piece on greaser Shay Murphy

 


Women’s History event in the Liberties – 29th & 30th June

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’24hr Community’, a NCAD art collective formed earlier this year, and the ‘May Day for Thomas St.’ initiative have joined forces to temporarily take over two vacant buildings on Thomas St. for the purpose of an exciting new history project.

Next weekend (June 29th to 30th) they are asking local women to come to their new studio at Emmett House with photographs, documents or other artefacts they may have, with a view to compile an archival history of the Liberties from the perspective of the women who inhabit it.

On hand will be scanners, audio recorders, and cameras to document whatever in by locals. All items will be treated with great care and will be returned immediately after the documentation process.

Ladies of Liberties event poster

Ladies of Liberties event poster



Don’t Vote For The Red O’Riordan: 1971 RTÉ Report with Michael O’Riordan

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A fantastic twenty-seven minute documentary from RTÉ on Cork-born Michael O’Riordan. He is described by presenter Patrick Gallagher as a “respectable middle-aged leader of our respectable middle-aged Communist Party”.

Thanks to Michael’s grandson Luke for passing this on. He uploaded it onto Youtube yesterday:

Highlights include a family history of Cork (3:30), reasoning for joining the International Brigades (07:00), talk of his election campaigns (11:00), footage of CPI meeting (12:00), discussion of CPI’s branch structure (14:00), denial of Moscow funding (17:00), discussion of recent events in the six counties (20:00), footage of anti-Internment rally and clash in Dublin (23:00) and the closing images of him on a rowing boat with the Internationale played in the background.

Michael O'Riordan, Morry Levitas and Peter O'Connor. Credit - O'Riordan family

Michael O’Riordan, Morry Levitas and Peter O’Connor. Credit – O’Riordan family

Incidentally, I have only just realised that my own grandfather Kevin grew up (in Sarsfield Terrace) just down the road from Michael (on Pope’s Quay) in Cork City. There was only four years between them so they might have been in the same school together.


The Atrix (Top Hat, 1982)

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Hot Press advert for a series of Atrix gigs in the Project Arts Centre in 1980. Credit - u2theearlydayz.com

Hot Press advert for a series of Atrix gigs in the Project Arts Centre in 1980. Credit – u2theearlydayz.com

Irish Times journalist John Fleming has recently uploaded a 30mins broadcast from Dublin New Wave legends The Atrix. Recorded on 14 February 1983 at the Top Hat in Dun Laoghaire, the footage was first broadcast on RTE’s ‘Campus Rock’ on 29 February 1983.

The Atrix was John Borrowman (guitar/vocals), Dick Conroy (bass), Chris Green (keyboards) and Hugh Friel (drums).

Set List:

1. The Life I Lead
2. It’s Taboo
3. Sweet Memory
4. The 11th Hour
5. Treasure On The Wasteland
6. I Wonder Why
7. The Moon Is Puce
8. Procession

Most of the songs (bar The 11th Hour, Treasure On The Wasteland & The Moon Is Puce) come from the band’s album ‘Procession’ which was released on Scoff Records in November 1981.

On 17 February 2013, poet Pat Boran looked at The Atrix on RTE Radio show ‘Sunday Miscellany‘. You can listen to the episode on the excellent ‘Fanning Sessions’ blog here.

In response, an individual called Tony left a comment on the blog:

I was a very close friend of Johns. In fact i was by his side when he died, 15 years ago, here in Copenhagen.
I have copies of his two short movies and his solo album- “Stoned Circle”- which should be in the public domain.
Reply please- I need assistance putting these things out. Permission has been granted by family.

On 12 March, the ‘Fanning Sessions’ blog uploaded John’s solo album ‘Stoned Circle’ which was recorded in Copenhagen in the late 1980s. John passed away in the city in January 1998. You can listen to the album here.

I set up a Facebook page for the band a while back, link here.


Philip Chevron Testimonial Concert – 24 August, Olympia Theatre

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Tickets (€30) are now on sale for Philip Chevron’s (The Radiators from Space & The Pogues) Testimonial Concert.

Philip revealed last month that the cancer he has battled since 2007 has become incurable and terminal. A life-long football fan, he has decided to hold his own ‘Testimonial’.

Artists confirmed so far for include Horslips, Luka Bloom, Declan O’Rourke, Brush Shiels, Shane MacGowan, Patrick McCabe, Gavin Friday, Duke Special with Fiona Shaw, Paul Brady, Joseph O’Connor, Mary Coughlan, Paul Cleary, Aidan Gillen, Fiachna Ó Braonáin & Liam Ó Maonlaí, Roddy Doyle, The Radiators from Space, Michael O’Connor and family, Terry Woods and Camille O’Sullivan.

A feature of the show will be that performers will offer their own work along with selections from Chevron’s own songbook, including some items never heard before in public.

All at CHTM! were chuffed to see that Steve Averill (aka Steve Rapid) from The Radiators from Space and designer of U2′s album covers decided to use Mice Hell’s illustration of Philip Chevron which was first published in the CHTM! book last Christmas.

P. Chevron concert. Design - Steve Rapid

P. Chevron concert. Design – Steve Rapid

In April 2012, I sat down with Philip in Brooks Hotel and spoke for over three hours about his life, music and opinions on everything from Dr. Feelgood to the punk’s reaction to the Troubles. You can read that interview here.


Italia ’90 – Dublin and League of Ireland connections

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Last month, a Youtube user uploaded the 94 minute documentary ‘Que Sera Sera’ which traced the Republic of Ireland’s historical path to Italia ’90 and their first ever World Cup Finals.

A family member was involved in the production of this film and I recently scanned up some pictures he had taken from Ireland’s game against Malta (which secured their place in the finals) in November 1989 and the trip to Italy in the summer of 1990.

Here are a few from the Malta game:

Republic of Ireland team lining up. Copyright - BM.

Republic of Ireland team lining up against Malta. Copyright – BM.

Irish fans and their flags. Credit - BM

Irish fans and their flags in Malta. Copyright – BM

Jackie Charlton celebrating. Copyright - BM

Jackie Charlton singing ‘Molly Malone’ and celebrating win against Malta. Looks like David O’Leary at far right. Copyright – BM

Kevin Moran and Des Cahill (RTE). Credit - BM

Kevin Moran and Des Cahill (RTE). Copyright – BM

From Ireland’s one-all draw against the Netherlands, 21 June 1990:

Young Irish fan is overwhelmed by the attention of a photographer. Credit - BM

Young Irish fan is overwhelmed by the attention of a photographer. Copyright – BM

Irish and Dutch fans. Credit - BM

Irish and Dutch fans. Copyright – BM

These are taken in Ireland’s training ground in Sicily:

Packie Bonner signing autographs. Credit - BM

Packie Bonner signing autographs. Copyright – BM

Kevin Moran and other players taking a break. Credit - BM

Kevin Sheedy, Chris Morris and Kevin Moran taking a break. Copyright – BM

Autograph hunters approach Packie Bonner. Credit - BM

Autograph hunters approach Packie Bonner. Copyright – BM

Andy Townsend receiving some treatment. Credit - BM

Andy Townsend receiving  treatment. Copyright – BM

A smiling Liam Brady. Credit - BM

A smiling Liam Brady. Copyright – BM

This got me thinking about Ireland’s 22 man squad that played at the finals and how many were Dublin born or had played for League of Ireland clubs. This is what I came up:

Kevin Moran, who grew up in Rialto and then Walklinstown, made one appearance with Bohemians in the 1974/75 season before moving to UCD. In December 1975, UCD won the Collingwood Cup beating Dublin University at Belfield Park. In February 1976, Moran scored the winning goal for ‘Irish Universities’ in the Universities Championship final against their Scottish counterparts. Moran joined Manchester United in 1978.

Ronnie Whelan, grew up in Finglas West, made his League of Ireland debut for Home Farm on his 16th birthday at Tolka Park on 25th September 1977. He played with the side for two seasons before joining Liverpool in 1979.

Paul McGrath, who was born in London but was brought up in a number of orphanages in Dublin, made his debut for St. Patrick’s Athletic in a League of Ireland Cup clash with Shamrock Rovers in August 1981 at Richmond Park. He ultimately excelled at St Pat’s, earning the nickname “The Black Pearl of Inchicore” and receiving the PFAI Player of the Year Award in his first and only season, scoring four goals in 31 total appearances. He joined Manchester United in 1982.

David O’Leary moved to Dublin from London at the age of three but did not play for any League of Ireland side. Neither did Niall Quinn from Perrystown in Dublin or Frank Stapleton who grew up in Artane.

Meanwhile Steve Staunton from Drogheda made 13 appearances in the 1985/86 season with Dundalk F.C. while Birmingham-born David Kelly finished his football career with seven appearances (and two goals) at Derry City F.C. in 2002.


Issue 16 of Look Left out now

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Our bi-monthly update letting our readers know about the publication of the latest issue of Look Left. Available for €2 in Easons and other newsagents, issue 16 includes articles on:

POLITICAL FOOTBALL
Kevin Brannigan examines some of the political dimensions to football, past and present

NO GODS: ONLY OPPRESSION
Angela Nagle reports from a recent conference on secularism and feminism

2013 – PRO-CHOICE VICTORY?
The debate on abortion was to the fore in the Dáil and on the streets once again

WE OWN IT
Cian McMahon on the international union interest in co-operatives

NO ONE DARES PUSH US AROUND
Who were the Molly Maguires asks Joe Mooney.

THE SAINT OF CAPITALISM
Kevin Squires talks Bono with Harry Browne.

I’M SPARTACUS
Sam McGrath on the The Farm’s mix of music, football and politics

Look Left (Issue 16)

Look Left (Issue 16)


Launch of ‘Defying the law of the land: Agrarian radicals in Irish history’

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Dr Daire Keogh, President of St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra will launch the book ‘Defying the law of the land: Agrarian radicals in Irish history’ (ed. Brian Casey) tomorrow evening (Friday) at 6.30pm in the Teacher’s Club Parnell Square.

The book, published by the History Press, looks at the Land League, the Knights of the Plough and the perception and reality of Irish landlords while furthering understanding of the importance of the land question in Irish history.

Book cover

Book cover

The collection of academic authors includes both established experts in their field, namely Carla King, Gerard Moran and Fintan Lane, and new voices in the arena from young and upcoming scholars across Ireland.

A link to the Facebook event page can be found here.


Proposed expansion to Irish Jewish Museum

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An artist’s impression of the proposed new Irish Jewish Museum in Portobello, Dublin, which would involve demolishing five houses and building a two-storey-over-basement museum incorporating a cafe, synagogue, archive storage and audiovisual theatre. Credit - The Irish Times

An artist’s impression of the proposed new Irish Jewish Museum in Portobello, Dublin, which would involve demolishing five houses and building a two-storey-over-basement museum incorporating a cafe, synagogue, archive storage and audiovisual theatre. Credit – The Irish Times

Last year, the Irish Jewish Museum in Portobello, Dublin 8 announced a major development plan which would involve demolishing five houses and building a new two-storey-over-basement museum incorporating a café and synagogue.

(A review from Donal of the fantastic museum can be found here)

However, local residents, councillors and the city council conservation officer have criticised aspects of the plan. Residents are worried about the massive increase in cars and pollution into the area while conservation officer Nicola Matthews, referring to the proposal to demolish and reconstruct the synagogue, said this “façadist approach” would mean “removing the authenticity and real experience of the original site”. Locals are also worried that excavations and pile-driving for the 5.5-metre deep basement could destabilise nearby houses.

Recently a number of posters have appeared on lamposts and in the windows of houses in the area.

This particular poster shows photographs of a large tour group visiting the museum and the related congestion on the narrow streets.

Poster on pole.

Poster on pole. Credit – Sam

It would appear that someone, perhaps in favour of the development, used black spray paint to cover newspaper articles (in relation to local opposition to the plan) which were fastened on a post box.

An individual has used black spray paint to cover newspaper articles which critised the plan

An individual has used black spray paint to cover newspaper articles which critised the plan. Credit – Sam

Similar thing again:

Another poster was torn

Another poster was torn. Credit – Sam

Finally, one example of a large number of houses who have put posters in their front windows:

One of a large number of houses who have put similar posters in their front windows

Front window. Credit – Sam

I have family in the area and they’ve told me that they are both worried about the scale of the planned development and are upset that the anonymous campaign against the development has made no reference in their posters for support for the museum in general.

Let’s just hope that a resolution is found that is agreeable to all parties.

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More on Jewish history from the blog:

- RTE Nationwide special on Dublin Jewish community (January 2013)

- Reactionary murders in Dublin (including two Jewish men killed in 1923)

- Dublin Maccabi Assoication Facebook page

- Burman vs. Alpers court case (1946)

- Stein Opticians

- Remembering Ettie Steinberg 

- A look at the Dublin story of ‘Joe Edelstein’s Alarm’ in Little Jerusalem

- James Connolly’s 1902 Yiddish election leaflet translated

- “I am a Jew and I’m quite happy to live in that country” - Robert Briscoe



Some notes on the history of Lebanese restaurants in Dublin

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Note 1: Previously we’ve looked at the city’s oldest restaurants, the first Chinese restaurants, the first Italian restaurants, the first pizzerias and the first Indian restaurants.

Ireland’s first Lebanese restaurant, The Cedar Tree, was opened at 11 St. Andrew’s Street in October 1986 by two brothers from Beirut, Abed and Ali Sarhan.

Opening of the Cedar Tree.19 October 1986,  Sunday Independent.

Opening of the Cedar Tree.19 October 1986, Sunday Independent.

It is still in business 27 years later which is extremely impressive.

Cedar Tree, 2010. Credit - William Murphy (Flickr)

Cedar Tree, 2010. Credit – infomatique/William Murphy (Flickr)

Ronit Lenin wrote in the Irish Press (24 Nov 1986) that you could get a cheap filling lunch of Falafel in pitta bread for about £1.70  in Exile restaurant in Rathmines.

In The Irish Times (29 Oct 1987), journalist Pauline Lindsay let her readers know that could buy falafel in Mubarak’s Spar shop on Camden Street.

In the same year The Phoenician Lebanese restaurant was opened at 10 Lower Camden Street but I’m not sure how long it lasted. Today, this building houses the Dublin Camera Club.

Sinners (estd. 1993) at 12 Parliament Street was reviewed favourably in the Irish Independent (13 Aug 1996) by Myles McWeeney. Owner Jerry Salam, who is half-Egypitian and half-Lebanese, explained that the main characteristics of Lebanese food was:

… not hot chili spicyness like Indian or Mexican food but a delicate blend of vegetables, herbs and spices like garlic, onions, parsley and coriander, cinnamon and black pepper.

His food, particularly the falafel and dolmas, were particularly popular with vegetarians. Sinners closed in 2009 after sixteen years in business

Ali Sarhan established the Alis Beef and Beer Bazzar on South William Street in July 1992. In the run up to the opening night Ali told Irish Press journalist Barbara McKeon (23 July 1992) that:

Lebanese food has an international appeal. And I saw there was a gap in the market between the very expensive, high-class restaurants and the burger joints so I decided this is what Dublin needs. We have good food and drink for under £10.

Since 2000, a huge number of Lebanese (and Middle-Eastern) and restaurants have sprung up including: The Silk Road Cafe (estd. 2000) at the Chester Beatty Library at Dublin Castle; Keshk Cafe (estd. c. 2008) at 71 Mespil Road; Rotana Cafe (estd. 2008) at 31 Richmond Street South;  Little Jerusalem (estd c. 2009) in Rathmines);  Damascus Gate (estd. 2012) at 10 Upper Camden Street and Beriut Express (estd. 2012) at 69 Dame Street.

Interior of the Rotana Cafe in Portobello

Interior of the Rotana Cafe in Portobello. Lovely place.

In terms of kebabs and cheaper dining, Iskanders Kebab House (estd. 1996) at 29-30 Dame Street remains a firm favourite  as does Zaytoon (estd. 2001) at 14-15 Parliament Street. Sultan on George’s Street is also supposed to be quite good though I’ve never been.

More recently,  Falafel & Kebab (estd. 2012) at 11 East Essex Street in Temple Bar and Ephesus (estd. 2011) at 20 Capel Street are proving popular for budget-conscious foodies.

We hope Mark from the ‘Dublin Falafel hunt‘ blog keeps up his quest for the best falafel in the city!

Falafel and Kebab advertisement

Advertisement from ‘Falafel and Kebab’ in Temple Bar


Recent pieces on Philip Chevron

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Phillip Chevron at McGonagle's. Photo - Patrick Brocklebank. (From 'u2theearlydayz.com').

Phillip Chevron at McGonagle’s. Photo – Patrick Brocklebank. (From ‘u2theearlydayz.com’) January 1979.

In the run up to Philip Chevron’s testimonial tomorrow night, a number of pieces have been published in the Sunday Independent, The Herald and Examiner. (It’s a pity the Irish Times didn’t do any feature).

Declan Lynch – ‘ Truly, there’s nobody like Philip Chevron‘ in the Sunday Independent on 3 August 2013.

It also brought into play Phil’s pursuit of great music in every form imaginable, his gifts as a collector and an archivist. I’ve always felt that he could be a brilliant journalist too, ideally writing about the theatre on which I believe he may well be one of the greatest living authorities.

Barry Egan - ’Diamond in the Crown‘ in the  Sunday Independent on 11 August 2013.

Time spent with Philip is a leap into the exhilarated air of a life living through rock ‘n’ roll, punk, balladry and poetry and into graciousness with which the wisdom, knowledge and humour gathered up along the way is imparted. Philip does all that to the max. – Fiachna Ó Braonáin (Hot House Flowers)

Eamon Carrr – ‘It’s about time we all saluted the living genius of Philip Chevron‘ in the  The Herald on 21 August 2013

The fact that Philip … has never been nominated as a member of official Ireland’s cultural elite is a savage and humiliating indictment of that body … Philip gallantly says the song gave him the impetus to finish Ghostown, arguably the finest Irish rock album… ever.

Ed Power – ‘Philip Chevron — a Radiator and a Pogue‘ in the Irish Examiner on 20 August 2013.

The Radiators from Space are regarded as one of the great lost bands of punk, but they had a reasonable profile during the heyday of the scene. Several of their singles were playlisted by the BBC and they were supported, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, by the UK rock press (whose approval was essential). Punk arguably had a greater impact in Ireland than anywhere else.  “If you look at what happened in the country between ’76 and ’81, the change was immense. It had a massive resonance. Hot Press magazine was founded. 2FM started up, in response to the pirate stations. And you had all these bands coming along. Punk changed a lot.”

Finally, Pete Holidai and Steve Rapid (The Radiators from Space) and Cait O’Riordan (The Pogues) spoke on RTE Radio 1 , along with contributions from Shane MacGowan, on 21 August. You can listen back here.

 

Philip Chevron, late 2000s.

Philip Chevron, late 2000s.

 


Joseph O’Connor – Poem for Philip Chevron

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Acclaimed novelist Joseph O’Connor, from Glenageary in Dublin, who won international acclaim with ‘Star of the Sea’ (2002) and ‘Redemption Falls’ (2006) wrote a special poem for Philip Chevron’s testimonial on 24 August.

I doubt that many know that Joseph O’Connor’s first non-fiction book (and second book published) was a biography of Tyrone Republican Socialist and poet Charles Donnelly who was killed in the defence of the Spanish Republic with the International Brigades. It was based on his MA thesis, for which he awarded a First Class Honours, in Anglo-Irish Literature at UCD. He completed this Masters after returning from a five month trip to Nicargua where he had reported on the aftermath of the Sandinista revolution for various publications in Dublin. ‘Even the Olives are Bleeding – the life and times of Charles Donnelly’ was published by New Island Books in 1992.

Novelist Joseph O'Connor at Philip Chevron's testimonial. Credit - theradiators.tv

Novelist Joseph O’Connor at Philip Chevron’s testimonial. Credit – theradiators.tv

Here is the text of the beautiful poem that Joesph wrote for Philip.
Note: It can’t be reproduced further without his permission.

A BRIDGE FOR PHILIP CHEVRON

On his sixteenth Christmas Eve, a boy in wintry Dublin
Bought an album he’d heard on a pirate-station show.
‘TV Tube Heart’. Maybe you know it.
As he took the bus homeward the streets filled with snow
And late that night, alone in his room
He played those songs over and the world burst alive
In the voice of a city on the cold Irish Sea.
Passionate. Eloquent. Longing to be free.

THUNDER in the drumming and the punk rock guitars
Like Molly Malone meets the Spiders from Mars.
Lyrics with a BLAZE and a beauty hard and fine
From a poet. And a Dubliner. Name of Philip Ryan.
CHEVRON they called him. Cool as a knife.
Smoothest Irish writer ever seen in your life.
SPARKIN images together till they scorched off the paper.
NO ONE told a story like that Chevron shaper.

Martyrs on the banknotes. Liars on the box
Killers on the altar rails, shadows on the docks.
Pearse on his pedestal, still dreamin’ a dream.
He’d like to stick a Telecaster
Through the television screen.

Then Brother Brophy caught me outside a the class
Listenin to Philip when I shoulda been at Mass.
Big stew-eatin’ bollocks from Upper Drumcondra
And he’s not a huge admirer of the….punk rock…genre
Says Wheredjathinkyou’rgoinWiththatlookuponyerface
Whothehelldjethinkyeare?
I said:
A Radiator.
From Space.

Well his eyes are kinda flashin and his lips are turnin blue
Says Get in there to Confession or I’ll radiator YOU.
Father O’Reilly says Bless you, my child,
And how long has it been since you last…reconciled?
I said, Bless me, Father, been nearly a year.
See….I got the ticket and the bus stops here.

You see, I saw you there, Philip,
In hushed Dublin streets,
Walking at dawn past a shuttered store
Or pausing a moment to look at the statues
Of Wilde. Larkin. Joyce. Thomas Moore.
Grey gulls above Christchurch
The old city sleeping
McGonagles closed and a rumour of snow
And there’s little to hear but the dawn alleluia
Of a garda-car siren down Portland Row.

Your mind raining melodies, nighttowns of humour,
Cabaret, greasepaint, heart-aching wrong,
Your heroes, inconvenient people in corners,
People that rarely get put in a song.
Early-house ghosts in the hunger of morning
Five-o-clock shadowmen shook by the fates,
Huers and bogeymen waiting for openings.
People unnoticed by cold eyed Yeats.

I saw you there, Philip, walking lost Dublin theatres.
Brunswick Street, Francis Street, down towards the Coombe,
City of actors, in all of her vagaries,
Wandering back to her lonely room,
Loving her streelings and early-hour homecomings
The LASH of her wit and her dirtyfaced talk
You and the spirit of Micheal MacLiammoir
Talkin of Bowie
On Bachelor’s Walk.

I saw you there, Philip, drifting past Trinity,
Cobbles of history moistened by mist
Head full of powerchords, thunderstorm images
Lovers you kissed.
Your shy smile by Bewleys.
Your handshake to Duke Street
Some evening when August had glittered the town.
The windows all shining in glorious cadence
With your stubblecheek grin and your beautiful frown.

You pause on the bridges
Named for our poets.
I saw you there, Philip.
You always knew –
A song is a bridge on
Uncrossable rivers.
I saw you there, Philip.
This bridge is for you –

And the thousands gone sailing
While Kitty Ricketts weeps.
‘Cross the street from Clery’s clock
The G.P.O. sleeps.
Johnny Jukebox in the Ghosttown
Still paintin up his lips.
‘Stranger than fiction,’
Sighed the girls in the kips.
Thank you, Philip Chevron.
I’ll sing no more.
Million dollar hero
In a five and ten cent store.

© Joseph O’Connor, August 2013

The one and only Philip Chevron at his testimonial in the Olympia last month

The one and only Philip Chevron at his testimonial in the Olympia last month Credit – Daragh Owens from theradiators.tv


The Red Bank Restaurant –‘Irish Nazi watering hole’

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The Red Bank Restaurant (19-20 D’Olier Street) was one of the city’s most famous and long-running restaurants, open from 1845 – 1969.

Culinary historian Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire wrote that it was:

…established by Burton Bindon on the site of a famous city hostelry (and) known originally as ‘Burton Bindon’s’. (It) took its current name from the famous ‘Red Bank’ oysters which grew on beds owned by Bindon in Co. Clare and were available in season in his Dublin establishment [1]

Taken over by the Montgomery family at the turn of the century, by 1934 it boasted a ground floor with a grill room and luncheon bar, two further floors of dining rooms and some of the best food in the city.

Sadly, it perhaps best known for being a popular meeting place for pro-axis supporters. American historian R. M. Douglas described it as a ‘well known haunt of ultra-nationalist and extremist bodies owned by a German-born member of the Dublin Nazi Party’. [2]

It was a regular meeting place before the war of Adolph Mahr’s ‘German Association’. Mahr had been a leading Nazi official in Dublin, and also the Director of the Irish National Museum. The ‘German Association’ would often invite sympathetic Irish men to these dinners where the table was draped with a Swastika flag.

Red Bank. The Irish Press (Apr 22, 1939)

The Irish Press (Apr 22, 1939)

In February 1940, 1916 Rising veteran and long-serving fascist organiser WJ Brennan-Whitmore invited a select group of ‘Celtic Confederation of Occupational Guilds’ (CCOG) veterans, most of whom he had known from his Blueshirt days, to the Red Bank restaurant to sound them out for a new group called ‘Clann na Saoirse’ (‘Tribe of Freedom’). [3]

In May 1940, the ‘Irish Friends of Germany’ (aka the National Club) held a meeting in the restaurant that was attended by 50 people. George Griffin, veteran anti-Semite and ex Blueshirt, spoke on the subject of the ‘The Jewish Stranglehold on Ireland’. Griffin mentioned many Jews by name and went onto advocate that ‘… we should never pass a Jew on the street without openly insulting him’. [4]

In 1942, the restaurant was host to a number of meeting from the ‘Aontacht na gCeilteach’ (Pan Celtic Union), a front group for ‘Ailtri na hAiseirghe’ (‘Architects of the Resurrection’). [5]

Images from Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire's ‘The Emergence, Development and Influence of French Haute Cuisine on Public Dining in Dublin Restaurants 1900-2000: An Oral History'

Images from Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire’s ‘The Emergence, Development and Influence of French Haute Cuisine on Public Dining in Dublin Restaurants 1900-2000: An Oral History’

As aforementioned, RM Douglas is of the opinion that the restaurant was owned by a German Nazi party member. Historian Gerry Mullins (author of Dublin’s Nazi No. 1) supports this theory and names the Schubert family as owning the restaurant.

However, respected culinary historian Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire has said that he has ‘found no evidence of the Red Bank leaving the Montgomery family ownership from the beginning of the twentieth century until its sale in the late 1960s’ and that the Mr Schubert referenced was actually the manager of the Solus factory in Bray. Mac Con Iomaire also seriously questions the claim by David O’Donoghue (author of ‘Hitler’s Irish Voices’) that newspaper advertisements for a new lounge in The Red Bank Restaurant were coded messages for Nazi meetings.

The standard of food at The Red Bank declined over the war years, when it became a late night drinking establishment. It closed in 1948 but was reopened under new management. A fire in 1961 gutted the place and the restaurant finally closed its doors in 1969.

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Notes:
[1] Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire, ‘The Emergence, Development and Influence of French Haute Cuisine on Public Dining in Dublin Restaurants 1900-2000: An Oral History’ (DIT, 2009), 100
[2] RM Douglas, ‘Architects of the Resurrection: Ailtirí na hAiséirghe and the Fascist ‘New Order’ in Ireland’ (Manchester, 2009), 66
[3] ibid
[4] Martin White, The Greenshirts:Fascism in the Irish Free State 1935-45, (Queen Mary University of London, 2004), 245
[5] Douglas, 271

Joyriding in Interwar Dublin

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The word ‘joyrider’ is of North American origin and became popular as a term in Britain and Ireland in the early 1910s. It was defined as a ‘ride at high speed’ and initially applied to all those who took their cars out for recreational drives. It was later used negatively to describe car owners who took non-essential rides at the time of petrol shortages during World War One.

Car Wreck in Washington D.C, 1921 (via Reddit)

Car Wreck in Washington D.C, 1921 (via Reddit)

During the interwar period (1918-1939), the term took on its modern connotation of a ‘fast and dangerous ride in a stolen vehicle’ . Dublin, along with London, Manchester and other large cities, started to develop a problem with joyriding in the mid 1920s. At the time, it was considered as mainly frowned-upon high-jinks and pranks as opposed to dangerous anti-social behaviour. Historian Claire Millis described it, in an Irish context, as a ‘mild enough outlet for underemployed and envious youth’. She also points to the fact that many newspapers, especially provincial ones, used ‘joyriding’ as a barely disguised euphemism for sex.

The Irish Times reported on 24 September 1923:

A Bedford two-seater motor car, belonging to Mr. Erley, Rockview, Coliemore Road, Dalkey … which had been stolen … late on Saturday night was found abandoned at Harbour Road, Dalkey yesterday morning. It was badly damaged and evidently ran against the harbour wall.

A ‘well dressed American visitor’ Christopher Harrison and a friend James Bradley, a carpenter of South Circular Road, were fined £6 in total in August 1929 for taking a car from Waterloo Road for a joyride.

21 August 1929. The Irish Times.

21 August 1929. The Irish Times.

In September 1929, Reginald McCoy from Elinton in Dundrum was charged with stealing a motor cycle from Molesworth Street. In court, he said that he had ‘only taken it for a joyride’. He drove it to Mayor Street where he hit a pothole and damaged the machine to the extent of £10. McCoy said he willing to pay for the damage caused. (Indo, 19 Sep ’29)

Three teenagers in January 1930 robbed a Morris Cowley car worth £60 from outside an office on Middle Abbey Street and were caught in Drumcondra after going at a speed of over 45 miles per hour. Eugene Caldwell (17), Patrick Hughes (17), both of Lower Dominic Street, and Patrick Scully (16) of O’Daly Road in Drumcondra were first spotted by a Garda driving on the wrong side of the road by Sir John Rogerson’s quay. Two Garda on motor cycles gave chase and followed the stolen car around Drumcondra, Marino and Drumcondra before they managed to get in front it causing a collision. (IT, 8 Jan ’30)

Two young men – John Walshe of Reginald Street and Peter Borgan of Parnell Street – were remanded on bail in May 1930 for driving a car through Capel Street and Parliament Street in a reckless manner, injuring three children in the process. Their lawyer said the charge was the outcome of a ‘joyride’ gone wrong. (IT, 20 May ’30)

26 November 1930. The Irish Times.

26 November 1930. The Irish Times.

By the end of 1930, the police announced that an average of three cars a day were being stolen by joy riders in Dublin city. The vast majority of which were found abandoned and undamaged twenty four hours later. Often they were found within a few miles of the city, having been driven until the petrol supply is exhausted. Interestingly The Irish Times of 26 November 1930 said that a ‘large proportion’ of the joyriders ‘are young people in good positions’ with the minority belonging to the ‘poorer classes’.

26 November 1930. The Irish Times.

26 November 1930. The Irish Times.

The Road Traffic Bill of 1931 introduced heavy penalties and fines for joyriding but this did not act as a deterrent. In November of the following year, the Motor Correspondent of the Irish Press said:

Things have been getting worse every year so that this winter we have reached the point where ‘joyriding’ has become one of the greatest scourges of the motor community. The principal point of concentration .. is Dublin and it is very little prevalent in other cities in the Saorstat, comparatively speaking.

In October 1932, a tragedy took place on the Howth Road after Thomas Parker (115 St. Declan’s Road, Marino), a clerical officer in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs was knocked down and killed by a joyrider. A Mrs Cobbledick (42 Demense, Killister) was also struck and seriously injured. The car was stolen from outside the College of Physicians on Kildare Street by two men who fled the scene of the crash. The Evening Press offered a large award for the capture of the duo but I don’t think they were ever caught. (IT, 14 Oct ’32)

A common newspaper mention. The Irish Press, 25 Oct 1932.

A common newspaper mention. The Irish Press, 25 Oct 1932.

After another joyriding case in the courts in October 1933, Judge Shannon said that the ‘unauthorised taking of motor cars was too common and … it was shocking that private property should be interfered with in this audacious and impudent manner’. (IT, 13 Oct ’33)

In January 1934, four university students were charged with having been in illegal possession of a car and with taking it away without the consent of the owner. The accused were Trinity medical student Florence O’Sullivan (132 Stephen’s Green); Trinity student Thomas F. Stack (179 Harold’s Cross); dental student William Donnelly (84 Lower Leeson Street) and student Desmond McDonnell (132 Stephen’s Green) who had failed his examinations. After a few drinks in Rathmines, they went to Earlsfort Terrace where they ‘borrowed’ a car to take them to a dance at Kissarne House in Castlebellingham in County Louth. Parking the car in a field about half a mile from the town, they subsequently abandoned it and returned to Dublin the following morning in another ‘borrowed’ car.

It transpired in court that the boys had also stolen an expensive overcoat and hat from two guests in the Central Hotel, Drogheda. The Judge’s first condition was that they must ‘leave Dublin (on Monday) and stay away for twelve months’. O’Sullivan and Stack were fined £30 each and Donnelly and McDonell £20 each with £5 expenses each. It can be assumed that the defendants paid up as a failure to do so would have resulted in another ‘three months imprisonment with hard labour’, plus a further three months if they failed to remain out of Dublin for the year. (IT, 22 Jan ’34)

There was an astonishing joyride chase and subsequent court case in November 1933. It all started off when Joseph Gordon (Park House, Harolds Cross) reported to the police that his car had been stolen from Drury Street. At 6pm that evening, Garda Michael Walsh on a motor cycle saw the stolen Austin ‘Seven’ on Parnell Road and gave chase all the way to Crumlin where the driver of the car tried to force the Guard into a ditch. At Milltown the Guard signaled to a member of the public (Mr. Knowles) to try to get in front of the stolen vehicle with his own car. The joyrider crashed into the right hand side of Mr. Knowles’ car, drove up onto the footpath, hit the wall of a cottage (tearing off the drivers door of his own car) and then struck the police motor-cycle. He drove on, with the police still in pursuit, and took them through Dartry, Terenure, Rathfarnham ad Donnybrook. The joyrider traveled at an average speed of between 40 and 50 miles per hour.

At Leeson Street Bridge, the joyrider managed to elude ‘his pursuers’ and succeeded in getting way. The driver of the car who helped in the pursuit (Mr. Knowles) saw the drivers face during the case and later picked him out of an identification parade. Sign-writer Frederick Scuffle (29) of 4 St. Michael’s Terrace, Blackpitts was arrested but pleaded not guilty of stealing the car. His father testified that his son was at home during the time of in the incident. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty and Mr. Scuffle was discharged! (IT, 6 Feb ’34)

8 November 1933. Joyride chase.

8 November 1933. Joyride chase.

In May 1935, the police announced that they were still searching for the male driver, another man and two women who were involved in a joyriding accident at the corner of St. Stephen’s Green and South Great George’s Street. Two pedestrians and the two women in the car received minor injuries. The four people in the car, which had been stolen from outside the Holy Trinity Church in Rathmines, left Adeliade hospital without giving their names. (IT, 9 May ’35)

William Hutton (27 St. Benedict’s Gardens), Edward Nathan (125 Lower Dorset Street) and Brdget Hickey (33 Gloucester Street) were charged in December 1936 for stealing a car worth £300 from Prince’s Street. Five people in total were seen in the car by police in Cabra when they spotted them driving out from the city. They pursued them out as far as the race course in Ashtown where the joyriders managed to make their getaway. The car was later found wrecked by the bridge at Blanchardstown and the three out of the five culprits were later arrested. (IT, 15 Dec ’36)

11 January 1937. The Irish Times.

11 January 1937. The Irish Times.

Two young men – Joseph O’Mara (Coulson Avenue, Rathgar) and Herbety Hegarty (Upper Ratmines Road) – were sentenced to one month’s imprisonment in April 1937 for aiding and abetting a third man called Calep (not in custody) in the theft of a motor car owned by the City Coronoer, Dr. D. A. Mac Erlean. The car was found damaged with the registration number altered with white paint. O’Mara made a statement in court that Calep called to his home in the car and took two girls for a drive in the doctor’s car. (IP, 17 April ’37)

My next piece will look at joyriding in Dublin in the 1940s and 1950s


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