{"id":2749,"date":"2019-05-11T22:06:09","date_gmt":"2019-05-12T02:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=2749"},"modified":"2019-05-11T22:07:34","modified_gmt":"2019-05-12T02:07:34","slug":"unforgfettable-sjummer-1960-13-days-in-dublin-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=2749","title":{"rendered":"UNFORGFETTABLE SJUMMER 1960….13 days in DUBLIN, IRELAND"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Note:In June 1960 I spent 13 days in Dublin\u2026did not expect to do so\u2026but it was quite fascinating\u2026If  you<\/div>\n
are  expecting mining stories you will have to wait fro the next instalment\u2026I did not get<\/div>\n
to the quaint village of Bunmahon until June 13.    <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
IN DUBLIN\u2019S FAIR CITY<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan Skeoch<\/div>\n
Journal June 1 to June 13, 1960<\/div>\n
(No one predicted I would have a two week holiday in Dublin)<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This is the ancient Knockmahon copper mine on the south coast of Ireland.  That<\/div>\n
was my destination in 1960 but it would take 13 more days to get there. Meanwhile<\/div>\n
I lived in Dublin.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Dublin, quite a city.  Circumstances prolonged my stay in Dublin so let me give you a short impression.<\/div>\n
First thing is the city smells\u2026Jacob\u2019s cookie factory, Guinness 62 acre brewery, Tea shops and horses. The<\/div>\n
smell is intoxicating.  The main street, O\u2019Connell Street is wide and busy and for the most part happy in spite<\/div>\n
of bullet holes deliberately left to remind Irish people of the \u2018time of the troubles\u2019.   The people are super<\/div>\n
friendly\u2026policemen who paid my bus fare, citizens who helped me find my way, and one family\u2026the Behan\u2019s,<\/div>\n
who sort of adopted me.   Lots of pubs to visit.  Lots of meat pies and sweet rolls to eat.  Trees!! Lots of them<\/div>\n
and a huge 700 acre park near the city centre.  Problems?  Of course.  Some obviously deranged people<\/div>\n
here and there.  Violence?  Never had trouble except one incident that I foolishly precipitated myself.<\/div>\n
To top the visit off, I was able to see The Quiet Man, the charming John Wayne, Maureen Ohara, and\u2019<\/div>\n
Barrie Fitzgerald movie about an Ireland that seemed mythical but turned out to be true.  Some Irish might<\/div>\n
resent the stereotypes  but I thoroughly enjoyed them with no expectations they would be part of<\/div>\n
my experience on the Bunmaahon job.  But so much happened that was similar.   Not that I  felt I<\/div>\n
was  John Wayne.  I was however a North American stepping into a cultural milieu of which I was<\/div>\n
unfamiliar.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
One of the results of my stay  in Dublin was  the naming of our first born child Kevin.  The Behan family<\/div>\n
adopted me as if I was  their son, took me around Dublin to pubs I would  never find and allowed me<\/div>\n
to become part of an Irish family.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
MYJOURNAL:  I thought it was lost until by good fortune in April, 2018, I found it among some old  books in the cellar.  Quite amazing detail.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

JUNE 1, 1960<\/p>\n


<\/div>\n
Smooth flight across to Ireland with Are Lingus.  No one there to meet me so I can do whatever I please I guess.<\/div>\n
Dublin is  a beautiful city with throngs  of people on OConnell Street.  Friendly.  Girls are very pretty.  Visited<\/div>\n
the art gallery and then the museum like a normal  tourist.  Had to remind myself that I was not a tourist .<\/div>\n
Found offices of Arbuckle – Smith and Company only to discover our Turam shipment had not arrived yet.<\/div>\n
Called Barrie Nichols in Toronto to let him know there will be a delay then went shopping for shirt and shoes.<\/div>\n
Supper was no good. Toured Gresham Green.  Called  Mrs.  Behan who  invited me out to their house <\/div>\n
tomorrow when Kevin Behan gets back from Italy. Very tired.  Fell to sleep three times during the day. Being<\/div>\n
alone is not that enjoyable.  Need other people to make life really interesting but it looks like I will<\/div>\n
be stuck here in Dublin for some time.  No point in heading south the County Waterford and  village of<\/div>\n
Bunmahon without all our crates of instruments. Toured Gresham Green.<\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n
Huntec had booked  me into the high class Gresham Hotel expecting my stay in Dublin would be short.<\/div>\n
But our crates of equipment did not arrive for nearly two weeks.  The Gresham was fancy as pictured<\/div>\n
above and expense.  NO one told me the breakfasts were included in the room price.  I skipped breakfast<\/div>\n
for a week to save the company money as my expense check was only 200 pounds\u2026not enough<\/div>\n
for me to stay at the Gresham so after a week I found a  cheap hotel in Clontarf, the Hollybrook, where<\/div>\n
I seemed to be the only guest and the staff made it clear my breakfast as  included.  Even then by the<\/div>\n
end of my stay in Dublin the money was  almost gone.<\/div>\n

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\"\"<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
June 2, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I woke up late so  skipped breakfast and walked to the Department of Justice to get my work clearance.  Had to prove I was doing<\/div>\n
a job that nn Irish person could not do.  Lots of unemployment here.  Looks like my training on the Turan E.M. unit has put me in a<\/div>\n
special  spot.  Few people know how to run it\u2026and it is quite complicated\u2026motor generator, base line a mile or so long, two receiving <\/div>\n
coils with 100 for separation,  a console, picketed lines running 3,000 feet from the base line at right angles, etc.  Had to explain<\/div>\n
this  to an official.<\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n
After that I took a bus to the the Guinness Brewery at St. James Gate, Since I had no bus fare the chap beside me paid my fare.<\/div>\n
Guinness is the national drink of Ireland, unless you are a non-drinker.  What a rare privilege to see this massive brewery in operation.<\/div>\n
They even have big draught horses harnessed to wagons loaded with barrels of Guinness to be delivered to pubs in Dublin.  The smell<\/div>\n
of the horses and the Guinness is wonderful to me.  The tour included a pile of Guinness post cards featuring men lifting bull dozers<\/div>\n
or pulling beer wagons with the horses as passengers. Humourous.   And the end of the tour was best. We all got a full pint of Guinness\u2026<\/div>\n
my first.  I wasn\u2019t to struck on the black liquid at first but soon overcame that problem.  Seems a tourist can have as much as he or she<\/div>\n
wants but I stuck to one pint.  I should have eaten breakfast. Felt a bit woozy\u2026warm and woozy.  Not staggering.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Ah, yes, Guinness is the national drink of Ireland… made from barley, hops, yeast and water.  That does not sound complicated.  <\/div>\n
Why is the beer black then?  Because the barley<\/div>\n
is roasted rather malted which makes a thick creamy head on the pint.  The thickness of the head is achieved by passing the beer through<\/div>\n
nitrogen\u2026smaller bubbles result.  Guinness is so thick that each pint needs  time to settle.  <\/div>\n
Is Guinness really \u2018good for you\u2019 as the advertising says on billboards across  Dublin?  Some call Guinness \u2018a meal  in a cup\u2019 \u2026198 calories<\/div>\n
per pint which\u2026less than a pint of milk.  Drinkers  of Guinness get an \u2018enhanced feeling of well being\u2019 , an advertising statement frowned<\/div>\n
on by the government.  Created in 18th century by Arthur Guinness<\/div>\n
and apparently one of the most consumed beers worldwide.  Guinness does seem to be good for drinkers though\u2026lots of healthy <\/div>\n
antioxidants\u2026like fruits and vegetables\u2026slow deposit of bad  cholesterol on artery walls. Or so the story is told.  My \u2018meal in cup\u2019<\/div>\n
certainly replaced breakfast and gave me an enhanced feeling that the world around me is good.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This  is  high tea at the Gresham Hotel where I stayed for the first week.  I did not know<\/div>\n
Breakfast was included in the room rate so  skipped  breakfast for that week.  Fancy<\/div>\n
hotel but very unfriendly.<\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Bought some tomatoes  and meat pie to eat in my room while reading a book. Sort of lonely feeling\u2026needed<\/div>\n
a pint of Guinness I guess but afraid to go into a pub alone.  Not fear just felt being solitary would be uncomfortable.<\/div>\n
Contacted a sign painter as Ministry of Justice insisted I have a road sign saying Danger in both English<\/div>\n
and Irish.  This will take some time to do\u2026will pay extra to get faster work done.  Decided to go back to<\/div>\n
the Guinness factory , now have bus tokens, but found place closed.  Got some good pictures though.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I was startled by a crazy woman in middle of the cobbled street near St. James Gate.  She was covered in<\/div>\n
blood while singing and dancing and jumping around.  Very sad.  She even relieved herself by lifting her skirt<\/div>\n
and pissing without care.  Most on lookers did not stop\u2026treated  her as if a normal situation.  I kept walking <\/div>\n
as well.  Returned to my room to finish off the meat pie.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Phoned down to The Kennedy\u2019s to see if  gear had arrived.  No luck.  Our crew of three will be staying with<\/div>\n
the Kennedy family in Bunmahon.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Then I bought some flowers and took a bus to the Behan home.  Mrs. Behan poured tea and a little later<\/div>\n
Kevin Behan came bursting on the scene.  He had just landed from Italy.  Grand fellow.  He took me to a<\/div>\n
pub for another Guinness.  Driving back he tried to run over a \u2018teddy boy\u2019\u2026or at least to scare him.  \u2018Teddy<\/div>\n
boy\u2019s are street gang members I assume.    Then he drove me home to my hotel room.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I Was quite surprised at Kevin\u2019s hatred of these Teddy Boys.  Seemed just like rock and roll kids to me\u2026couple <\/div>\n
of my friends had the greased  down haircuts although most of them had brush cuts and  were not nearly as <\/div>\n
fancy  dressed as the Irish Teddy Boys who tried to wear the fancy clothing of Edwardian England.  Some Teddy<\/div>\n
Boys did run in tough gangs though.   I think Kevin Behan\u2019s hatred was triggered by the Notting Hill race Riots in<\/div>\n
London where some 300 Teddy Boys targeted black people using iron bars and butcher knives.  That was really bad<\/div>\n
but most Teddy Boys were just mild rebels like a lot of kids in my high school days back in Canada.  I kept my<\/div>\n
mouth shut.  Maybe Kevin had a bad experience. To me those Teddy Boys and Teddy Girls wereThe kind of kids  that loved <\/div>\n
the movie Blackboard Jungle.  I did not tell Kevin that I skipped school one afternoon just to see the movie.<\/div>\n
Gutless.<\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n
Teddy Boys, so names by their Edwardian dress, were seen as rebels.  Really they looked<\/div>\n
much like the Rock and Roll kids so common in Canada  in 1950\u2019s and 1960\u2019s.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
June 3, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I woke up at 9 and made my so called breakfast\u2026crumpets and Quosh, an orange  fizzy drink.  Then went to see Mr. O;brien about maps<\/div>\n
and he in turn sent me to the Ordinance Survey Office in Phoenix Park.  What an immense place\u2026 with so many cattle I could<\/div>\n
not count them.,,and a herd of wild deer that had been there since the 17th century Got maps of old mines in western part of County Waterford. <\/div>\n
Not sure they will be of any use at all. <\/div>\n
Spent rest of  day<\/div>\n
walking through PhoenixPark. A bunch of soldiers were lawn bowling at one spot.  Then visited the Dublin Zoo.  Wish I hadn\u2019t because <\/div>\n
when I put the lens of my camera  close to the monkey enclosure one big monkey jumped  at me with sexual intent.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
What generous people\u2026an off duty policeman paid my fare back to my hotel.  Bought sausage rolls, buns and tomatoes<\/div>\n
for my supper\u2026alone in my room\u2026saving company expenses.  Phoned  Mr. Timlin, our shipment of crates from Canada have arrived in Liverpool.  Went to a movie after which<\/div>\n
I was cornered and badgered by a family of beggars on a side street\u2026five them\u2026really dirty.  Dangerous.  My nice feeling of independence is turning into<\/div>\n
loneliness.  Wrote letter to Marjorie and went to bed.<\/div>\n

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Phoenix Park has large herd of semi wild deer that have been there from the 18th century<\/div>\n

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Streets of Dublin, in 1960, still had presence of horses.  This man was just leading four of them casually<\/div>\n
down the street\u2026note evidence of Horse manure indicating this was not an unusual sight.  a hundred years<\/div>\n
ago these horses numbered in the thousands.  i.e. There were 100,000 horses  in London in 1850 and  Dublin<\/div>\n
would have been similar.  Vast amounts of manure was linked to outbreaks of Cholera but not from human rather<\/div>\n
than horse<\/div>\n
manure.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
June 4, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Got up late, very late\u2026around noon.Went to bakeshop for my  breakfast (tomatoes, meat pie, crumpets). Spent most of the day absolutely bored.<\/div>\n
Phoned  Kevin Behsn and went over to his house in the evening.  Their daughter Yvonne was very cute showing me her pictures.  Kevin and Mrs Behan<\/div>\n
took me on the rounds of the local pubs.  Made me feel like home. One pub hd  a creek running through the middle of it, another pubs a castle\u2026ended<\/div>\n
evening in fish and chip  store.  I was startled to see so many Presbyterian churches in Dublin\u2026thought all churches would be Catholic.  The I.R.A. had<\/div>\n
a rally on O;Connell Street.   Met an American girl who was with Joe Malone.  This is a strange summer\u2026first prospecting job with so many people<\/div>\n
around me.  Not the usual  wilderness  of black flies  and endless  boreal forest. All the Catholics I have met so far have been quite wonderful.<\/div>\n
I expected hostility but found none so far.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
June 5, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Rose early and phoned Dr. John Stam in Holland. He will join me in Bunmahon once our crates get here.  Went to the Gresham  Green Unitarian Church<\/div>\n
where Rev. Hicks was quite funny and very British.  Then he spoke about the absence of national Birth control as a cause of war\u2026 citing the Irish lady who had 24 children and <\/div>\n
her daughter who had 15.  I suppose that could be a criticism of Ireland\u2019s Catholic majority and the church influence.  But I think his real point was that<\/div>\n
overpopulation of planet earth would lead to the three horseman of the apocalypse\u2026famine, plague and war.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Caught a bus to Kevin and Ronnie\u2019s house where Yvonne was very friendly crawling all over me.  Then we went for a very nice drive in the country.<\/div>\n
Many old  castles.  Had ice cream. Mrs. Behan had a nice supper during which Yvonne gave me a carnation.  Yvonne is 6 or 7 years old.  Then Kevin<\/div>\n
took me to a pub where we discussed the Irish Republican Army\u2026kevin concluded that \u201cthe poison is being drawn out\u2019.  But there are still machine guns<\/div>\n
on the border.  I took a picture of the family.  Kevin informed me I would be wise to find a better hotel.  Why? Because my fancy hotel had never informed<\/div>\n
me that Breakfast was included in the bill\u2026I had been skipping breakfast or just having another meat pie just to save Huntec and Dr. Paerson some <\/div>\n
money.  My stupidity I guess.  Hotel was so high class  that nn one spoke to me at all.  ‘Snob hotel\u2019<\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n
What wonderful people\u2026Kevin and Ronnie Behan.  They sort of adopted me for my stay in Dublin.  Their oldest, Yvonne, was  really<\/div>\n
a little charmer.  She was so glad to see me each visit that her greetings made me feel embarrassed.  The Behans made such<\/div>\n
an impression that Marjorie an I named  our first born Kevin.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
June 6, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Today is a national holiday in Ireland.   Took a bus to Malahide and walked back to hotel.  A farmer struck up a conversation in which he said<\/div>\n
\u201cIrish people are the laziest people on the earth\u201d\u2026strange comment, perhaps  made as a joke or maybe to draw out an anti-Irish comment from me.<\/div>\n
Got caught in deluge of rain while walking to Kevin\u2019s house.  Soaked.  Yvonne and family very glad to see me.  Sincere.  Took a drive to the North Harbour<\/div>\n
which was charming except for the fact some man committed suicide there.  Went to a pub then returned to the Behan  home for \u2019tea\u2019 which  is a misnomer<\/div>\n
for a full supper\u2026then watched BBC television for a while before taking whole family to the movie \u2018Who Was That Lady\u2019<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
On Kevin\u2019s advice I made plans to move to the Hollybrook Hotel in Clontarf\u2026cheaper, friendly, with full breakfast.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Picked up a strange fact\u2026Ireland has the lowest marriage rate in the world.<\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n
June 7, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Received word  from McNabb and  Timins that the Ronka has arrived but no sign of the Turam.  Moved my bag to the Hollybrook Hotel<\/div>\n
on the Howth Road \u2026 had  a nice pastoral setting and comfortable old pub kind of registration desk.  Decided to tour the Guinness  Brewery<\/div>\n
again.  \u201cWill you be wanting another pint, lad?\u201d said  the man who joined the tour but did not drink.  \u201cTemperance\u2026call us Pioneers over here.\u201d<\/div>\n
Later I decided to line up at Dublin University to see the Book of Kells, an illustrated manuscript.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The BOOK OF KELLS\u2026<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
An unfortunate event happened while standing in line to see the Book of Kells.  Mostly my fault. I tapped the shoulder of the man in front of me and asked:<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cAre you Irish?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNo, Scottish\u2026visiting.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cIs this University secular?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhat do  you mean by that?\u201d…  he said  in rather angry manner<\/div>\n
\u201cI mean is it attached to the church or the state?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean by that?\u201d…  he got more angry, I could not see why.<\/div>\n
\u201cJust wondered.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cAre you Catholic?\u201d… now he was really angry, perhaps disturbed. <\/div>\n
\u201cBorn Catholic but not so any more.\u201d  Bad  comment on my part\u2026a mistake\u2026like waving a red flag in<\/div>\n
front of a charging bull. <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
At that remark the guy went wild.  Seemed to want a fight.  I decided best course of action was to get<\/div>\n
the hell away from him but he followed me yelling who knows what for his accent was thick. A policeman<\/div>\n
rescued me and advised I take a  long ride on the bus and  keep  away from throwaway comments about<\/div>\n
religion.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Why did I say that remark\u2026Why trigger animosity?  It was  a  mistake, of course, but I was thinking back<\/div>\n
to the St. Skeoch legend.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
 Our Skeoch relatives, ancient kind, were Catholic.  Most Scots were in the early centuries.  And there was <\/div>\n
a  connection with the Book of Kells and the Scottish Isle of Iona.  A misty connection\u2026likely  false.  A connection even more ancient than<\/div>\n
the 10th century Book of Kells.  At some point I had heard or read that St. Skeoch was one  of the 12 disciples<\/div>\n
of St, Columba  when he left (fled?) Ireland  in the sixth century for the Scottish Island of  Iona.  At that time<\/div>\n
the use of the term saint was loosely interpreted\u2026i.e. without the approval  of Rome.  Was St. Skeoch one<\/div>\n
of the twelve?  Rome had no records but there are places  in Scotland where this St. Skeoch is mentioned.<\/div>\n
Maybe our family legend about the rescue of two boys on the Bloody fields of Bannockburn was true.  And<\/div>\n
the St. Skeoch convent could have been a St. Skeoch monastery.   All perhaps nonsense since much relies<\/div>\n
on hearsay.  All this was in my mind as lined up to see the Book of Kells.  Were our roots  as much Catholic<\/div>\n
as Presbyterian. So there are the  roots of my throwaway  comment that I was  \u2018born Catholic but gave it up.’<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
What was I really doing?  Just putting in time awaiting our high tech survey equipment.  The Book of<\/div>\n
Kells was fascinating\u2026a  masterpiece of art that survived the Viking raids.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The Book of Kells is one of the finest illustrated manuscripts in the world. 340 folio pages. Written in Latin and illustrated<\/div>\n
 around 800 A.D.  when Most people could  not read.   Sometimes called the Book of Columba <\/div>\n
because St Columba and  subsequent Columban monks did much of the work between the sixth and ninth centuries.<\/div>\n

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Back to my Journal:  June 7, 1960<\/div>\n

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Bad weather barreling in from the sea.  Wrote a  letter to Barrie Nicholls and John Hogan.  Hogan is a geologist<\/div>\n
representing our client. I am worried that the delay in equipment arrival will be cost the  project a lot of money.<\/div>\n
Maye I am the only one worried\u2026hope so . Hotel resident  Joe and Moira invited me to have a drink with them<\/div>\n
which made for a perfect evening.<\/div>\n

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June 8, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Arose late after the party last night with Joe and Moira.  Went downtown and bought field books, electric tape and signs<\/div>\n
to alert local people to dangers of our project, particularly the base line wire and generator.  Surprised when a  cyclist<\/div>\n
fell off his bike into the Liffey canal.  Ambulance came fast. The German sailors and officers from the Graf Spee are<\/div>\n
in  Dublin. Since I am the only guest in the Hollybrook Hotel I feel like the lord of this ancient manor house and get<\/div>\n
treated as such.  Nice. The expense money if going awfully fast.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
John Hogan made a surprise arrival so we finally got to discuss the project.  I phoned Mrs. Behan and the wet to  show<\/div>\n
and a dance with John Hogan.  One girl at the dance must have crossed herself 40 times while praising the I.R.A.<\/div>\n
An interesting evening.  Washed my clothe and went to bed.<\/div>\n

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June 9, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
UP early and had first breakfast wince I arrived in Ireland\u2026hotel dining room.<\/div>\n
Sent most of the gear with John Hogan who was driving down to Bummahon \u2026 the project site in western<\/div>\n
part of County Waterford\u2026 Gave Mr. O\u2019Brien a quick briefing the Turam operation.  Checked with Arbuckle but<\/div>\n
Turam has still not arrived.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
John Hogan and I toured the Guinness Brewery \u2026 my third visit.  Then we had a lousy meal at the Temperance<\/div>\n
Hotel. Then visited head office of Irish National Sweepstakes and bought 5 shillings tickets for Marjorie.  Walked<\/div>\n
back to hotel then walked to the Behan home where kids were really cute.  Yvonne and Denise kept bringing me<\/div>\n
corn flakes on the dog\u2019s plate.  Yvonne  seems to like my lap.  Other kids Anella  and Murial also cute.  Then Kevin.<\/div>\n
Ronnie (Mrs. Behan) went toHouth for a drink.  A drunk woman was entertaining if a little pathetic.  Ronnie ironed<\/div>\n
my shirt afterwards then Kevin drove me back to the Hollybrook.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
June 10, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Had  big breakfast \u2026 bacon, eggs, fried tomatoes\u2026.topped off with a rack of cold toast and marmalade.  What should<\/div>\n
I do for the rest of the day now that John Hogan has gone south?  Tour!  Dublin is a  city of wonderful smells.  Guinness<\/div>\n
Brewery covers  over 60 acres making lots of beer.  But there is also a strong smell of cookies being baked at the Jacobs<\/div>\n
factory.  So I followed my nose and had a tour.  250 employees mostly girls who gave me plenty of attention\u2026including<\/div>\n
whistling and touching.  Good time if a bit intimidating.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The Quiet Man is great entertainment\u2026surprised me that much of the 1920 Irish stereotypes turned  out to be real in our little world  of Bunmahon in 1960.<\/div>\n
The Dark Time of the Tourbles was downplayed.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cAlan, do not miss the chance to see \u201cThe Quiet Man\u201d while here in Ireland,\u201d said Kevin and  Yvonne Behan.<\/div>\n
So I went alone to see the film featuring John Wayne, Maureen Ohara and Barrie Fitzgerald.  What a grand movie.<\/div>\n
My work site in Bunmahon could not possibly be as joyful and humorous as the movie but I wish it were so.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Dublin has an under class.  I noticed  and felt sorry for sn old one-eyed woman who was  having bread snd tis while<\/div>\n
I had a steak with all the trimmings.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I am picking up the Irish lingo.  Today  was described as a \u2018soft\u2019 day which means it was pouring rain.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Got an urgent message from Arbuckle, Smith and Company saying the crates had not arrived in Liverpool yet. What the<\/div>\n
hell is going on?  They told me the crates were there the other day.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
June 11, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Getting better sleep now that I am having big breakfast.  Afterwards I went down to Arbuckle to pick up the part of shipment<\/div>\n
that has arrived\u2026i.e. the Ronka E.M. unit.  I will take it south on Monday. Sent telegram to Dr. Stam in Amsterdam and wrote<\/div>\n
a long letter to Barrie Nichols in Canada.  My money is very short\u2026less than 20 pounds left. Kevin asked me up to tea (i.e.supper<\/div>\n
in Irish lingo) then Kevin took Ronnie and me to movie \u201cOnce More with Feeling\u201d (no  good). After we took girls home Kevin took<\/div>\n
me to meet his mother snd father\u2026all  are in the car business.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
June  12, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Wind is blowing from the sea\u2026smashing windows.  I walked to Clontarf Presbyterian Church where Rev. Moore greeted me warmly<\/div>\n
and  asked me to join him for s few minutes in the vestry  Guest speaker was a methodist, Rev. Livingston who spoke about \u2018Happy <\/div>\n
Harry the Hare\u201d which sounded weird at first but made sense in the end. <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Then another day with the Behan family.  I would not intrude normally but they really made me feel so welcome that to refuse<\/div>\n
would  be an insult.  Ronnie prepared another great meal. Yvonne was full of beans as usual\u2026crawling all over me.  We drove<\/div>\n
to Houth and stopped at Claremont for a couple of draughts of Guinness\u2026back for \u2018tea\u2019 and then to the movie \u2018sweet smell of success\u2019<\/div>\n
This was my last day in Dublin.  Sad farewell to the Behan family.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\"Brendan<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Brendon Behan and  Kevin Behan were not related.  Two very different people who shared one common wonderful trait.  They loved  people and<\/div>\n
an afternoon in their company was an  honour.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Kevin Behan was my host for the Dublin interlude.  He and his family opened their hearts  and doors to me.  I cannot explain why they did this except to say<\/div>\n
the they loved people, loved Ireland and waned to share this love with a young 21 year old  kid like me.  One result was the naming of our first born child, Kevin,<\/div>\n
in honour of Kevin Behan.  Sadly, we never told that to the Behan family.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
A poem by Brendon Behan<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

RED ENVOY<\/span><\/p>\n

I bring no songs of rolling drums
Of pennons flying gaily
I sing of filth and dirty slums
Gaunt man with hunger crazy
Canticles, not of virtue bright, nor holy austere lives.<\/p>\n

I chronicle consumption\u2019s blight
And the haggard face of wives
Who gaze on children, pale and wan
Who see no flowers nor hear birds song.<\/p>\n

I see no beauty rave in dreams of justice, unto those
Who keep the wheels of old earth moving
And oil them with their woes
Of burning towns and brimstone red
A phoenix from the ashes dead
Our city, truth and justice wed arise.<\/p>\n

I see this old bad order die
In a great swift blaze of fire
A structure, clear and mighty high
Born in its funeral pyre
Worker, know the world\u2019s for thee
Were thou to raise the servile knee
From off the ground.<\/p>\n

Brendon Behan<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Brendon Behan was a man of the 1950\u2019s snd 1960\u2019s.  He had strong opinions even as a teen ager joining<\/div>\n
the Irish Republican Army at 14 years of age.  He was an ardent republican. Regarded the English<\/div>\n
monarchy with disdain.  That said, he became very popular and his quick wit amused not just the Dublin Irish <\/div>\n
but the literary world in general.   His most famous play is titled \u201cThe Quare Fellow\u201d which is set<\/div>\n
in a  prison in the heart of Dublin.  \u201cQuare\u201d is Irish for \u201cQueer.\u201d   Brendon  Behan\u2019s one liners<\/div>\n
were quoted again and again by people with both a sense of humour and a knowledge that there<\/div>\n
is a dark side to the human condition.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cI am a drinker with writing problems.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cAh, bless you sister, may all your children be bishops.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cWhen I came back to Dublin I was court mortised in my absence<\/div>\n
and sentenced to death in my absence<\/div>\n
So I said they could shoot me in my absence.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cThere  is no such thing as bad publicity<\/div>\n
Except your own obituary.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cThe most important things to do in the world are to<\/div>\n
get something to eat<\/div>\n
get something to drink<\/div>\n
and get someone to love you.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Monday June 13  LAST DAY IN DUBLIN<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
How can I best describe this day?   Like a dam that has suddenly broken free\u2026like  A clock that is out of control  and time spins free \u2026like a race begun once the gun is fired.<\/div>\n
Suddenly everything speeded up and I wold be gone before the sun set.<\/div>\n
This was  be last day in Dublin.  I did not know that.  I did not know that events would move so fast that by evening I would be in the villsge<\/div>\n
of Bunmahon nestled  in an ancient place with the ruins of the Knockmahon mine brooding black and foreboding as the sun set.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
My first view of Knockmahon where i would have adventures not forgotten in 60 years.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Events of that fine Dublin day:<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Began packing at 8.30\u2026then phoned Arbuckle\u2026our shipment had arrived. Dr. Stam coming by air\u2026Hogan ready to pick us up inWaterford.<\/div>\n
time to get s haircut then caught bus to the airport\u2026watched  KLM flight land and Dr. John  Stam cleared  customs. Briefed  him onIrish  officials I had<\/div>\n
met\u2026back to hotel for dinner and beer. Back to America Express\u2026then over to see Mr. O\u2019brien.  Took luggage to train station\u2026first class tickets toWaterford<\/div>\n
where John Hogan met us with his Fiat\u2026drove to Bunmahon on the edge of the sea..passed the ruins of the Knockmahon mine standing alone on the<\/div>\n
edge of steep cliffs that fell down to the sea.  Empty.  No  houses.  No  living things.  Then road  dipped down to the Mahon River and the village of Bunmahon<\/div>\n
where we were to be based for the duration of the survey.  Met Mrs. Kennedy who would be our landlady and Irish \u2018manageress\u2019 \u2026 an expert on the inner<\/div>\n
workings of this sliver of Irish  society.  Very Catholic\u2026My room has three Christian statues and  a large picture of  Jesus with his heart showing\u2026hangs above my bed.<\/div>\n
Surprised to get my mail\u2026letters from Marjorie and  some.  Jan Stam said he was pleased with my handling of the situation.  He would  ve in charge from now <\/div>\n
on and would do the interpretation of the notes from my field book each day.  John Hogan was a geologist and the Denison Mines company.  Three of us.  But<\/div>\n
many more will be hired.  Eventually I hired the whole village.  More of that later.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
“<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Note:In June 1960 I spent 13 days in Dublin\u2026did not expect to do so\u2026but it was quite fascinating\u2026If  you are  expecting mining stories you will have to wait fro the next instalment\u2026I did not get to the quaint village of Bunmahon until June 13.     IN DUBLIN\u2019S FAIR CITY alan Skeoch Journal June 1 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2749"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2749\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}