EPISODE 69 BUNMAHON IRELAND
ALAN SKEOCH’S JOURNAL 1960 AUGUST 3, 1960 TO AUGUST 7, 1960
Part of our crew. John Hogan on the left…Dr. John Stam on the right. Tommy, second right, Barney, fourth right, Andy, fifth right.
The staking crew is not in the picture nor are the men and boys that guarded the base line.
Farmer Casey wanted payment for the damage done to his barley crop by our crew. He was very angry and very drunk when
he confronted me for the second time..I have forgotten how
he was reimbursed. Perhaps paid by John Hogan. Other farmers were equally irate..
This very pretty hedgerow is made of Gorse…thousands of thorns that cut the flesh when given a chance. We had to get through
these thorn fences dozens of times a day. We never knew where the blood sucking ticks hid while waiting for a warm blooded
creature but i suspect many were here.
alan skeoch
June 2020
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 1960
Finished expense account before breakfast. Then had very successful
day in the field…18,000 feet which kept the lads moving. Passed two
dead steers (cows?) in advanced state of decay. The smell was terrible…
suffocating.
In evening John Hogan and I went down to Kirwin’s for a game of
darts and a Guinness
All evening I worked with our completed lines…plotting results. Then planned
tomorrow’s adventures. I expect to finish the Turam this week if
the weather and the cattle behave.
THRUSDAY AUGUJST 4, 1960
This cut in the fields led down to the cliff face and then down to the sea. It was in such steep place that an Irish family
raised nine kids while living in a cave. Believe it? Maybe. Sometimes i did not know what was fact and what was fiction.
Spent very full day finishing the base line near the ocean…12,000 feet finished
which leaves 3,000 feet for tomorrow. I will have to close up tis Saturday
unless there is to be an extension.
Saw ruins of a house half way down a cliff … not really a house. It is a cave
where an Irish family lived and raised nine children. Don’t know how they did it.
Barney and I explored the “seven drifts” …a mine shaft that goes in from the
ocean. Two great chasms within … including much loose rock at a 45 degree
angle…we got part way across the loose rock and the whole face began to
tumble. We froze. Then carefully retreated. A dog howled all the time
we were in the drift. Was the doge worried about us? When we came out
the moon was glowing in an empty sky. I wonder if that is why the mackerel
are jumping tonight.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 1960
Rose early and wrote my weekly report to the Toronto office. Then planned
a full day of work with Turam, Resistivity, Ronka. The Turam was soon
finished (5,300 feet). The resistivity unit was a disappointment as the motor
will not start. Then the Ronka was a failure as well. I decided to let the boys
have a half day holiday with pay of course. A very sad day as the lads now know
the job may come to an end soon. Barney was close to tears. Johnny, always
the leader and senior person, accepted things passively. No one was glad
and that includes me.
The Bally Inn: Ballyaneen, Ireland: IN this tiny 2 roomed pub gathered a huge crowd for a night of music and dance. Lots of beer as well. The music was terrific but
the lyrics of the songs were even better. Nostalgic music designed to make a grown adult weep. Absolutely wonderful.
I took the engine to Ballyaneen in the evening. Then John and I went to Tramore
and drove the Dodgems. then tried the rifle range shooting corks, then
played the slot machines…had a beer, played golf and then went to a dance.
Bet the boys back in Toronto will not believe this. Part of my job description as
told by Dr. Paterson: “Make sure you get along with John Hogan…he is the rep of our client.”
SATURDAY AUGUST 6, 1960
Had trouble getting out of bed this morning…too much done yesterday..
Did manage to get the lads and the resistivity unit on the job but the
cattle played havoc with the spread wire. Got some mail from Marjorie
today.
John Hogan and I drove to Waterford where I bought a bottle of
Hennesey’s Cognac for the folks back home. I do not even know
what Cognac is…nor did I know it was French…thought iii was Irish.
Then we went to the afternoon show “They Came to Cordura”…disappointing
Somehow I managed to spend 97 pounds this week…270 dollars.
I like being in charge…feel confident I know what i am doing.
Getting job done.
Payday…cash based on rate of one pound per day…about $1.40 Canadian per day. Toronto wondered why we needed so many men
but we did. Everything had to be guarded from the cattle and other nibbling creatures. I needed help getting over the Irish thorn bush fences
and to try and avoid long grass where the little ticks were waiting to suck our blood. Each man got a bonus of cigarettes and chocolate bars.
Extravagent.
My payday arrangement occurs weekly. the men line up beside the
little shack…a kind of office…I get cash from Mrs. Kennedy and pay
her…then pay the men at rough rate of 1 pound per day ($1.40) which
seems awfully cheap but that is he going rate in Ireland. I also give each
man a pack of cigarettes (10 to pack, Wild Woodbine) and a chocolate
bar. Seems sort of silly but I do it anyhow.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 1960
Woke up to heavy rain on my window…so will have to postpone our
planned trip to the mountain north of us. Spent morning writting.
Then sky cleared so John Hogan and i drove to the mountain
and had a grand time stalking mountain sheep and enjoying the
grandeur of the heather covered barren land. Stopped for a look
at a peat bog which was being harvested as blocks of peat for fireplaces.
END EPISODE 69 BUNMAHON IRELAND JOURNAL OF ALAN SKEOCH TO AUGUST 7, 1960