…HERE IS THE JOURNAL CONTINUED
NOT A LONG PIECE THIS TIME…KEEPS ME GOING
TO GET A STORY DONE EVERY DAY BUT SO FAR
I HAVE MANAGED TO DO IT. THIS IS MY GIFT TO
EVERYONE SUFFERING FROM COVID 19 ISOLATION
JUNE. 2020
EPISODE 68 BUNMAHON, IRELAND JULY 23, 1960 TO AUGUST 2, 1960
ALAN SKEOCH’S JOURNAL
If you look closely you will see a fairy ring…an old enclosure , maybe a village as old as 2,000 years. I did not see any fairies.
alan skeoch
June 2020
SATURDAY JULY 23, 1960
Raining heavily…John Hogan sent word he would stay in bed. Wish I had that
luxury. Worked in pouring rain all morning, soaked…the boys are a bit
perturbed. We only managed to get one moraine done in the Killmacthomas forest.
returned home for lunch and got lots of mail. My slides are good …35mm.
Eric sent nice letter about trip to Manitoulin Island . Marjorie always nice to hear
from. Don Van Every who I worked with in Alaska last summer is now working
at secret radar sites in Arctic for far north.
In the afternoon, Barney, Andy and I entered entered the Knockmahon mine via
an old adit on the face of the cliffs…we spent several hours in old tunnels…could
not stand up but had to crawl on stomachs in places. In other tunnels we were
waist deep in water. We had to jump over a shaft…or use old ladder to crossit.
Walls are covered with beautiful blues and greens…some pink.
SUNDAY JULY 24, 1960
Skipped Mass today. Then had to play pinochle for another few hours…boring.
Then in afternoon John Hogan drove us to Tramore to see movie with Stirling Hayden…
there were 3 adults and 100 kids there (estimate) in the ‘pit’ which was cordoned off
for them.Then played miniature golf and had a great fish and chip supper.
Visited a pub where bar maid seemed quite interested in me. then back home
to more pinochle…damn.
MONDAY, JULY 25, 1960
Finished the long lines in the Kill forest and then entered the big bog.
The boys cut line as I followed with the Turam. paid Mrs. Kennedy for the
rent of their vans…10 shillings = $1.40 more than reasonable. Spent
evening working on the instrument. Then pinochle.
TUESDAY, JULY 26, 1960
We got a good early start and managed to cover 18,000 feet of line. Bitten and
scratched.
We passed over a spot where a German bomber came down in World War II and
all escaped alive. Barney told me some of the crew visited Bonmahon recently.
Returned home to get mail from Alaska, Florida, Lake Louise and Toronto. Marjorie
seems in a quandary about next year which is disturbing.
The boys took me down to the pub for a Guinness. Then one of the farmers
came in raising hell about his barley field which we had trampled.
Letters from Jim Romaniuk and Mom.
WEDNESDAY JULY 27, 1960
Rose at 6 a.m. Pouring ran outside…a soft day in other words. No chance
of taking day off. The boys are grumbling about conditions. By noon we
were all thorooughly drenched so cancelled afternoon.
The boys did not like working in the pouring rain. I was used to doing that in Canada.
The staking crew revolted when they saw I was gone and they also went home…
can’t blame them really. In the afternoon John and I drove to Waterford to fix
his car…Fiat. I bought mom a sweater … most expensive I could find at 61 shillings.
In the evening I tried to save as much cable as possible from the cattle.
Got word that job may end in mid August.
THURSDAY JULY 28, 1960
rain again…Steady drizzle all day…but must work…boys grumbling as rain soaked us.
Managed cover 10,000 feet of line even after the cattle had destroyed a large
section of your base line that had to be repaired first. We are working in an
Irish bog…kind they get peat from…ancient ..huge area. Willy went up to
his waist in bog water on one occasion. Nasty place.
FRIDAY JULY 29, 1960
Rose at 6 am and wrote for an hour or so. Began my expense account. Then
took the lads out and finished the northern section. Then we wound up the
base line cable which disappointed Tiny Tim who had to break up his camp
at the grounding rods. Tim was hit on the head with a sickle … split his
head…made him limited in ability. Nice kid but so shy he could not look
at me or talk. Unsure if he can speak. Loves job though. Moved his
tend into new forested location.
Had lunch overlooking the sea. John Stam leaves This Monday for
Amsterdam which mean I will be in charge. So we went to Kirwin’s
and celebrated sort of with with Guinness as usual. All in good spirits.
SATURDAY JULY 30, 1960
Arose at 6 a.m. and began working at expense account again. Then John
Stam and I had a private discussion about the project. By nine I was
on the job and covered a fair bit of ground by 1 p.m.
A bull nearly did me in from behind but I heard him roar and was
able to dodge his charge. The boys thought this was a safe field.
No damage but must be careful. Once I am harnessed there is
no chance of running. Wonderfujldayh for working. In late afternoon
Barney and I visited an old adit that had been closed for the past 50 years
or more. Mystery legend told to me by Barney. “Farmer lost a cow
up this boreen…an old adit. The cow went in and could not get out.
died there. Hidden under that patch of Gorse. We hired a man
to clear the spot just incase the legend was true. We had high readings
over the spot. Pressure of walled up water caused a minor
explosion of ancient mine water. Man we hired fled. We let it drain
and then walked in….yes,walkedin…and there about 60to 70 feet
inside was the skeleton of the cow. We all shook Barney’s hand.
Cattle are curious just like people….also omiverous just like people
SUNDAY JULY 31, 1960
Awoke at crack of dawn. Writing. Skipped church much to the dismay
of Bridey, Mrs. Kennedy and the boys. I think I heard the word Pagan
used in jest. In the afternoon we drove to Tramore for miniature golf Then
to the pub to celebrates John’s golfing victory before he left for Amsterdam.
We had another lousy greasy fish and chip meal in Tramore.
Another game of pinochle beside the fireplace.
Tomorrow I will be in charge of the project. Flattered to be trusted.
Big shoulders.
MONDAY AUGUST 1, 1960
Dr. John Stam…off to Amsterdam
Saw John Stam off to Amsterdam. Braidy cried…hated to see him go.
Got good start on the job…mended a number of cable breaks. Everything
seemed to be going well until noon when we were stopped dead by
five farmers who refused to let us on their land. Tense situation.
Lasted for two hours. Stand off ended when they realized I was
willing to pay damages. Farmers…O;Sullivan brothers, Casey, Welsh,
Fling, Magnar. Managed to get some work done in the fields.
Then at night I started to do the calculations and plotting.
Farmer Casey came around drunk and demanding money.
Would YOU expect to be paid if a mining company came and dug up your farm? Of course you would
TUESDAY, AGUSUT 2, 1960
Spent very busy day…10,800 feet of line…had four cable breaks
….cattle…no end to it…they eat cable everything day then regurgitate
balls of copper wire and plastic. Little wonder the farmers are upset.
Must plan a way to pay them same amount … big mistake if one farmer
gets more than others.
Washed and shaved quickly then John Hogan drove me to Killmacthomas
to see a travelling circus…the John Duffy circus…We sat in the 6 shilling
special reserve seats. I felt more like a spectacle than the circus performers
as people in the unreserved seats stared at us a lot. The circus was
great….clowns, jugglers, a grizzly bear, horses and lots of girls.
Below are two pictures of Tom Duffy’s circus…John Duffy might have been a relative.
www.dochara.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/duffy-340×230.jpg 340w, www.dochara.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/duffy.jpg 1181w” sizes=”(max-width: 691px) 100vw, 691px”>
END EPISODE 68