{"id":4902,"date":"2020-06-14T20:19:25","date_gmt":"2020-06-15T00:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=4902"},"modified":"2020-06-14T20:20:34","modified_gmt":"2020-06-15T00:20:34","slug":"episode-65-bunmahon-ireland-july-5-1960-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=4902","title":{"rendered":"EPISODE 65 BUNMAHON IRELAND JULY 5, 1960 TO"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

<\/div>\n
NOTE:  All jobs  eventually become routine.  Our job had many failures but those<\/div>\n
became routine.  Our enemy was not the weather or the IRA.  Our enemies were the cattle<\/div>\n
of Ireland.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Marjorie thinks some of these stories are too long\u2026so I will shorten the Episodes\u2026which<\/div>\n
means there will be more Episodes.  Lots of weird things happened that should keep<\/div>\n
your attention<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

EPISODE 65   BUNMAHON , IRELAND   JULY  5,1960 TO JULY 16, 1960<\/p>\n


<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n
June 2020<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Behold\u2026THE enemies we had to face every single day.  Above.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
TUESDAY  JULY 5, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Stan Holmes is a very interesting man who has been to every corner of<\/div>\n
the earth.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
We put in a long day today which included wading across a river.  Cold<\/div>\n
and depressing but still managed to do  6 lines\u2026a record so far on this  job.<\/div>\n
A  long walk home\u2026we really should have a car on this job.  Did you know<\/div>\n
that there are more cattle in Ireland than people?  4.5 million cattle and<\/div>\n
2.5 million people.  Supper was  very nice\u2026food and  stories \u2026tales<\/div>\n
of  Bombay and Casablanca.   John Hogan seems nervous with Stan<\/div>\n
Holmes\u2026why?  Insecure?   <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Big tide is  coming which makes me  worry about our motor generator<\/div>\n
\u2026too close to the sea.  No mail for past two days.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
WEDNESDAY  JULY 6, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Everything seemed to be going well today until 3 p.m. when we had<\/div>\n
another cable break\u2026cattle chewing cable I imagine.  So I let the men<\/div>\n
off for rest of  day.   John Stam had  a  phone call from Waterford<\/div>\n
asking me to demonstrate the Ronka.  Hitch hiked all the way but<\/div>\n
had to walk  all 11 miles  back  to Bunmahon.  My feet were so  sore<\/div>\n
I could barely climb the stairs.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Stan  Holmes entertained us with stories of the hill people of<\/div>\n
Tennessee.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
THURSDSAY ,  JULY 7, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Got up late.  Had one hell of  a  day\u2026hot as hubs of hell.<\/div>\n
Cattle were running through our cable\u2026broke it in 8 places which<\/div>\n
was damn  maddening . Result was we only completed  400 feet <\/div>\n
of  line.    We saw plenty of rabbits.   I made an arrangement to<\/div>\n
rent Mr. Kennedy\u2019s  van which looks  like a relic  of the 1930\u2019s\u2026floorboards<\/div>\n
gone in place so  we can see the road  go by under our feet.  John Hogan<\/div>\n
and  Stan Holmes left for Wales.  No idea  why.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
John Stam and I has long discussion  of  Catholic Church and<\/div>\n
bias in education.  Relaxed discussion   Mrs. Kennedy  arrived with<\/div>\n
tea for us  and she joined the discussion.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
FRIDAY,  JULY 8, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Herds of cattle were the biggest problem on the job.  Count these cattle.  They are likely<\/div>\n
carrying balls  of copper wire in their first stomach (cattle have two stomachs) which they<\/div>\n
will regurgitate.  They made work nearly impossible at times<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Got an early start but had mystery problem with our Base Line Cable.<\/div>\n
An  invisible break in the copper line but no brisk in the yellow insulation.<\/div>\n
We spent two hours tracing down the break.  Cattle did  it again.<\/div>\n
The ocean is  a beautiful blue today. Most of  our work was done<\/div>\n
on the hill that rises over Bunmahon village.  Stunning vista.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Spent part of the evening repairing cable heading.  Then John<\/div>\n
and  I went to the pub for a Shandy.   Returned  and read a<\/div>\n
bit about World War II.   I hear stories about German bombers<\/div>\n
ditching in Ireland\u2026one right on Bunhmahon beach.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Mr. Kenneday asked for a demonstration of our Turam<\/div>\n
equipment.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
SATURDAY  JULY 9, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Got an early start.  But all in vain.  Hoped to finish part lines and<\/div>\n
get start on full lines but failed  as we had two breaks in the base line cable.<\/div>\n
It might be worth hiring kids to patrol the base line and keep herds of<\/div>\n
curious cattle away.  But that won\u2019t happen.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Horse  drawn caravans like this  could be rented for a  leisurely tour of Ireland.  No danger of thievery in that case.  Real  gypsy  (Tinker)<\/div>\n
caravans were a different matter.    They look the same really.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
A gypsy caravan moved into Bunmahon today.  The Irish  call the Gypsies<\/div>\n
\u201cTinkers\u201d and  are a little nervous concerning them\u2026thieves many think.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
In the afternoon I drove the Kennedy van into Waterford which<\/div>\n
was  quite exciting .  \u201cWhen will the truck quit?\u201d that thought was on<\/div>\n
my mind all the time we were moving.  \u201cKeep moving\u201d  When I stopped<\/div>\n
the truck \u2026.it quit \u2026snd each time I had to get out and start it again<\/div>\n
with the crank.  That happened at stop lights especially.  Maddening<\/div>\n
but also amusing.  Three features of the truck   1) quitting suddenly<\/div>\n
2) smoke coming from the engine.    3) wobbly steering.<\/div>\n
Managed to get the Ronka back from the possible client in<\/div>\n
Waterford\u2026arrived home at 6 pm. and fell asleep immediately.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
We  rented this  panel van from Mr Kennedy occasionally.  It was not dependable.  Every time we stopped at a stop sign<\/div>\n
or behind a herd of cattle, the van stopped and someone had to get out and crank.  This is  John Stam\u2019s turn.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Heavy rain helped me sleep.  did not need to count sheep.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
SUNDAY  JULY 10, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The sea  is  very rough today.  Another of those so called  \u2018soft\u2019 Irish  <\/div>\n
days which means it is  pouring rain.   John Stam and I walked to St. Mary\u2019s<\/div>\n
church in Knockmahon\u2026on the east side of the Mahon River.  The church<\/div>\n
was full to capacity.   Funny how I have become immune to the stares of<\/div>\n
the local  people\u2026probably the staring is  caused by the fact I do  not know<\/div>\n
when to kneel and when to sit back so I only sit back.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
My confidence in our cook was  somewhat shaken today when a<\/div>\n
rather large gray worm peeped  at me from a piece of pork.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The new pub law came into effect today  and disrupted the social <\/div>\n
life of Bunmahon<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I got the resistivity motor generator in operational  order today.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Then I had my first bath in two weeks.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
MONDAY JULY 11, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The spring tide rolled in today flooding our grounding site \u2026motor <\/div>\n
generator got wet\u2026caused  fluctuations in  the voltage.  Salt Water.<\/div>\n
But we still managed  to do 6 fill-in lines.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
We  found one good sized  anomaly in farmer Fitszgerald\u2019s pig pen.<\/div>\n
Speaking of pigs  we also saw a boar with its  ears ripped  off  from fighting.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
In the afternoon I tripped and fell  into a thorn hedge.  Two thorns went through<\/div>\n
my pants into by knee.  About 1 inch deep.   Barney had to pull three times<\/div>\n
to get one of the thorns out of my flesh.   Gouged out.  Severe pain in<\/div>\n
the evening.  Mrs.  Kennedy applied a poultice .  I don\u2019t think I will be<\/div>\n
able to work tomorrow.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
TUESDAY, JULY 12, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
My leg  is  better as  I can now hobble around\u2026.but very slow going. To make<\/div>\n
matters worse we had many cable breaks.  Maybe copper wire and yellow plastic is<\/div>\n
tastier than it seems.  Cattle.  Job is getting routine now so we expect massive delays<\/div>\n
as just part of doing business.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
We passed through an ancient fort today.   How ancient?<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
John Hogan returned from London  with many stories and a few <\/div>\n
goodies  such as a copy of the June issue of Playboy.  The cover passed<\/div>\n
censorship.   Confiscated other things such as  liquor.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Today is  the twelfth of July\u2026Celebrated in Northern Ireland but not even<\/div>\n
mentioned  down here.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I picked three ticks out of my legs this evening.  Nasty little things that are<\/div>\n
almost invisible going in the leg\u2026but bloated with blood coming out  Thankfully<\/div>\n
these three did not get a good start so easy to remove.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Line mileage covered   4,800 feet<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\"Picture<\/div>\n
This is the july 1960 cover of Playboy Magazine which John Hogan smuggled  into Ireland when<\/div>\n
he returned from London.   Not very revealing so the border censors let it through.  Collectors copy<\/div>\n
today.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
WEDNESDAY  JUNE 13, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Started doing the short lines today\u2026short because of obstructions such as a cliff.<\/div>\n
Covered all short lines on the west side in the morning then had lunch  with<\/div>\n
the boys on the sea  shore  Like a big tourist picnic.  Stunning beauty with no sign<\/div>\n
of any other living creatures.<\/div>\n
Brisk  offshore breeze made big waves.  I  wondered why  Barney sat on top of <\/div>\n
the cliff during lunch.  \u201cThe girls are changing into bathing suits behind the rocks,<\/div>\n
Master  Skeoch\u2026should have told you earlier\u2026.  I  gave them all a whistle.”<\/div>\n
 Now that could have got<\/div>\n
me into serious trouble, glad Barney did not tell me.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Just a fast note about my lunch.  Mrs. Kennedhy makes me an elaborate<\/div>\n
lunch each day, often she favour lobster meat sandwiches which I do not<\/div>\n
like.  Sounds great\u2026lobster.  But hard to eat.  Ticklish situation but I<\/div>\n
asked her if she could  make peanut butter sandwiches  <\/div>\n
\u201cNever heard of peanut butter\u201d  So she ordered it from Dublin.  Today<\/div>\n
I had peanut butter by the sea shore while Barney ogled  the girls.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The afternoon turned very stormy  bit we kept working which did not<\/div>\n
please the crew.  Managed  to get all west side of Mahon River completed.<\/div>\n
(more a creek than a river).   We vsisited the 1500 acre estate of Major O\u2019Shea <\/div>\n
which was  burned by the IRA in 1921.John.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Tomorrow John wants me to use the resistivity unit which is a new <\/div>\n
one on me so I am studying the electronics  manual.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I asked Mrs Kennedy to mend  my trousers that were torn after too<\/div>\n
many brushes  with the Gorse.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
THURSDAY JUNE 14, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
AH, what a day\u2026up early in morning, wrote some letters and then got<\/div>\n
the crew organized for the day.  Andy must overhaul the resistivity engine<\/div>\n
as there is rust in the fuel pump from just sitting around and not being<\/div>\n
used.  Perhaps problem in tank as  well.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
We finished the Turam statins  on the salt flats quicklythen Ilet the boys knock off<\/div>\n
until noon while I worked on the  resistivity  set up.   Motor is  not operational  so<\/div>\n
went back  to the Turam in the afternoon.  Not nice work as we <\/div>\n
had three rainstorms.   I managed to sew up my pants in the evening.<\/div>\n
Got letter from home today.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Tommy and  Andy took up to a pub in Ballyaneen\u2026a singing pub.<\/div>\n
Delightful folk songs sung by everyone.  Andy wanted me to take<\/div>\n
one of the local girls  on a date\u2026Anne Porter.   Not such a good idea.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
FRIDAY JUNE  15, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Slept Late in my nice warm bed while cold winds blowing from the sea<\/div>\n
We still cannot get the resistivity motor working.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Mrs. Kennedy told us that there  were living ghosts prowling around\u2026<\/div>\n
I am not sure if  she was a believer or not.  Then John Hogan said<\/div>\n
that ghost stories were told by local miners to disguise  places<\/div>\n
in the Knockmahon or Tankardstown mines where high grade ore<\/div>\n
had  been found.  Now that makes  sense.  Ghost stories were  <\/div>\n
profitable.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
SATURDAY JUNE 16, 1960<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Mahon River, County Waterford\u2026flow through the centre of our survey area.<\/div>\n
I fell into the river once\u2026but not from these high cliffs\u2026much lower cliff<\/div>\n
face\u2026not dangerous but wet.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Started early today reclaiming base line cable.   Wire  got snagged<\/div>\n
in Mahon river bottom so Tom had to wade in to cut the snag\u2026sounds<\/div>\n
simples but area was thick with Gorse (Brier) and Tom was bleeding<\/div>\n
by time job was done.    I slipped and fell headlong down<\/div>\n
cliff face  into the Main River.  Had to wade  down the river to meet the<\/div>\n
boys.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
A storm blew up in afternoon \u2026violent wind.  at home we lit<\/div>\n
a fire in the fireplace\u2026imagine that in mid July.   In evening<\/div>\n
Andy. Barney and I went to Bjuckley\u2019s pub\u2026the Anglican<\/div>\n
pub in Bunmahon.  We played game of  football ,,, Pub was<\/div>\n
nearly  empty.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
END  EPISODE 66   BUNMAHON, IRELAND   JULY 5 TO JULY  16, 1960<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NOTE:  All jobs  eventually become routine.  Our job had many failures but those became routine.  Our enemy was not the weather or the IRA.  Our enemies were the cattle of Ireland.   Marjorie thinks some of these stories are too long\u2026so I will shorten the Episodes\u2026which means there will be more Episodes.  Lots of weird […]<\/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-4902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4902","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=4902"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4902\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}