EPISODE 509 IRELAND — FACES OF PEOPLE THAT WARM THE SOUL 1960 AND 1965
Kevin Behan and his daughters…They made a stronger like me welcome…and directed me to go see THE QUIET MAN which was
playing continuously at a Dublin Movie house. Could Ireland be such a happy place? For me in 1960 when I was 21 years old that
is what Ireland became. A happy place. Named one of our sons after Kevin.
alan skeoch
Jan. 9, 2022
So here we are in Ireland once again. A random collection of pictures I took in 1960 snd 1965. Professor Aidan Coffey
has shown so much interest in my Irish experience that I put together this random collection for him. Then when I looked
at them I concluded that the readers of my blog might be warned up by these pictures of the past.
For those who have never seen my stories of Ireland in 1960 I suggest you search through my blog alan skeoch.ca
In 1960 I was sent to Bunmahon by a Canadian mining company to see if the ancient copper mines of
county Waterford merit reopening. Our survey raised the hopes of many local Irish people only to be dashed
when it was included that there was too much faulting and too little prospect of profit. We did, however, have
a wonderful summer of 1960….not just me, all of us involved including those who met regularly at Kirwin’s
pub and the Kennedy family of Bunmahon who did not attend the pub but made our life enjoyable.
I spent a big slice of my earnings on 35mm film. Glad I did so. Now converted by a lab into digital form
pictures I found…
.
This is our son Andrew on one of our many tours of Ireland…picture taken inland from Cliffs of Moher. When we were robbed in Canada
we decided to put the insurance money, around $6,000 into a tour with both boys…Kevin and Andrew. Where? Ireland of course.
Once we landed we looked for a pub with Guiness on draft. Marjorie said “well I hope this is not going to be a habit on our trip”
I still remember how the boys looked at me after she spoke.
Picture taken on our last visit to ireland around 2005 when daughter in law and granddaughters took us there…
all other pics are from 1960 or 1965
Have several pics of this fellow…and his horse…not all pictures have been found
This is Kevin Behan with his daughters. He looked after me in Dublin for 13 days and made such an impact that we named
our first son after him….Kevin Angus Skeoch
Ruin on road between Bunmahon and Tramore…where the panel van rented from Mrs. Kennedy stopped dead…had to cramk and crank
to get it going.
Marjorie snd curator of the Irish Folk Museum
Bunmahon farmer gathering sea weed for fertilizer or kelp for market if sun a market existed.
Cute little lady that ran this dry goods store…perhaps in Dungarvin but not sure
Alan Skeoch with Turam geophysical console searching for magnetic sources underground.
In distance is man with the other vertical copper coil. The farmer who owned this wheat field
demanded compensation and rightly so but I am not sure how damages were covered.
These boys were playing the haunting music titled Cliffs of Moher…or so i remember
This crew was clearing Gorse from roadside…a few years later this was done mechanically with a tractor and cutter bar. Not nearly
as pretty.
Now here is an interestng fellow…reading his thoughts not too difficult
When the Tinker set up camp near Bunhamon many people kept a close eye on their portable possessions.
Pictures from Irish folk museum east of County Waterford. We are planning to build a cart like this
for movie prop.
Sometimes our job was rather nasty…and dangerous should a boar or sow not like our trespassing their homes.