"Bem has turned yellow"......1966

One morning back in 1966 us kids were clambering out of bed getting ready for school,the Ma was downstairs getting the brekkie ready ,when she heard a big thump thump bouncing down the stairs,it was little Ger(he was not so little any more)"Ma Ma" he cried."Whats wrong ?, gerard,spit it out "....."its Bem he s turned yellow".....With that kitty bounced up the stairs to have a look........."Right Ger go in and get Rita ,she will have to bring yous to school, its off to the Doctor for Bem".      "Right stick your tongue out ,son ,and say ah"said the doc......"Ah" said bem......."Okay Mrs C, bring this little fella home and an ambulance will collect him later"......Bem was delighted to have time off  school ,and an ambulance  coming especially for him.. It turned out a long day waiting for the ambulance to arrive,all the kids had come home from school when it arrived,Bem was a bit disappointed when instead of sirens all we got was a loud rap on the door.........In comes the ambulance man with a big grey blanket and tells the mother that all Bem 's clothes must be left behind, including his bodice and jocks as he was going to a fever hospital .Bem takes his clothes off then he is wrapped in a blanket feeling very vulnerable but worse was to come ,The front door was whipped open and the ambulance man scooped Bem up his arms and to his horror there was a few kids outside.Bem held onto that blanket so tight his little hands turned white.The kids were giggling as Bem was being put in the Ambulance.Off the ambulance went with just Bem and the 2 ambulance men(The Ma had a clatter of kids and no one to mind them),When they got to Cherry Orchard fever hospital in Ballyfermot they brought Bem into a room strapped in a stretcher and left him there alone,then in walks this huge nurse and she produces this big syringe and without a word tries to inject Bem.  Well now Bem wasn't having that and he and the nurse had a big struggle when she had to give up.Next day when Bem was more settled in, the Doctor came and explained that Bem had to get an needle,this time Bem offered no resistance.It turned out Bem had to get an needle every day for the next 5 weeks while he was in hospital(he had yellow jaundice).After a couple of days Bem was well settled in.There was 3 other males in the ward of all different ages .Bem being the youngest(8 years old) and the eldest  about 60 years old.They were all confined to their beds and not allowed to leave them even for the loo.It was a bedpan and jug job..All they had to wear was a long shirt ,no bottoms, no jocks. One day one of the other boys jumped out of bed and was running around when the nurses caught him. They grabbed him and put on this huge pair of jocks on him with big strings dangling from them which were then used to tie him to the bed.They told Bem he would get the same treatment if he got out of bed so he  stayed in bed as he didn't  fancy been tied to the bed ,even the old guy was afraid to get out of the bed.After a couple of weeks they were all released one by one except Bem.One day Bem was surprised to get a visit off the old guy.He had to come back for a check up and he dropped in to say hello."There's someone to see  you", says the nurse.   He hands me a bag. Bem was excited as he opened the bag.Inside the bag was a packet of fig rolls and a bunch of Bananas."Thanks so much ,my favourite biscuits and fruit",says Bem.Back then it was a rare treat to get a few biscuits ,let alone a whole packet.   

.A few weeks later it was Easter and as Bem was  on a choc free diet the Ma  said she would keep Bem's egg at home for when he got out.Back in those days you were lucky to get 1 egg. Anyway Easter Sunday in comes the Ma and the Da for a visit.Then after awhile in comes  Aunt Peggy,  and she places a bag with an Easter egg beside Bem's  locker and the  Ma tells her about Bem's choc free diet.Anyway after about a half hour the Aunt Peggy says her goodbyes and leaves.Bem says to the Ma, "Will you bring home the egg that Peggy gave me?". He looks beside the locker and lo and behold its nowhere to be seen.With that Bem jumped out of bed,not caring if the nurses caught him to tie him up and looked everywhere but alas to no avail.The Da,says"I thought I seen Peggy picking something up".Bem got upset.The Ma says,"It's okay Bem ,maybe she brought it home to mind it for you until you get better".  Bem never did get that egg.It later transpired the Aunt on hearing about Bem's diet whipped the egg back into her bag and brought it away with her .There was no consoling Bem he cried for ages and the nurses even took pity and allowed him out of bed for a little while.After 5 weeks Bem was allowed home and spent 3 more weeks off school.  The kids all loved Bem when he got home .he thought they missed him.They were just after his Easter eggs(word had spread about Aunt Peggy in the family and Bem ended up getting a lot of eggs).xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

P.S. 1966 was the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Easter rising.
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A TRIP TO NELSON'S PILLAR........1965

                     Every Sunday The Ma would get all us 5 kids ready and haul us all on board the 22 bus or if the Da was not working into his A40 AUSTIN car and bring us to our Nannies place  down in Sheriff st beside the docks.   Living in their flat was the Granda Michael, Nanny Nolan and 3 aunts,Joan,Lily and Rose.(Granda Michael "Bisha" Nolan along with his 2 sons ,uncle Paddy and  Christy "Bisha" Nolan were dockers and Christy had spent time  sailing around the world on a merchant ship).......One Sunday ,in  1965,Aunt lily brought the 3 stooges .....Rick ..little Ger and Bem on a stroll up to town,(Rob and Jacqueline were too small to bring)..It was a Beautiful sunny day .We all had our matching shorts  (just the boys) and our bodices under our T-Shirts(Bodices were like little buttoned vests ).We walked up along the Boundary wall until we reached Connolly Station,When little Ger started moaning.."Lily, Lily, I cant walk anymore me legs are hurting",he says.Now little Ger even back then was as solid as a rock.Anyway lily scooped him up and threw him on her shoulder and we headed up Talbot st.Little Ger looked down at us and started smiling.   Rick  says to lily."Lily that's not fair, can we have a lift too ?"   "Feck off " she says ."I have me hands full with this lump,He weighs a ton". And with that we all started laughing except little Ger who was not impressed been called a Lump.Next we got to a sweet shop and bingo ,little Ger starts whinging ."Lily i'm hungry ,Can i have sweeties"?

 In lily goes and gets us our goodies .After we scoffed our sweets Little Ger wanted to get back up on Lily but she told him to walk .Bem and Rick we're delighted,and started calling him a big baby,which prompted him to run at us like a bull,we were in stitches and took refuge behind Lily.We eventually get to O'Connell st and we says to Lily."Lily can we go up there ".pointing up at the pillar."Okay" says Lily and over we go .We got to the bottom of the pillar and looked up and on cue Little Ger started moaning that his legs were too small to go up the spiral stairs....so Lily throws him over her shoulder and starts up the stairs with Little Ger's woolly hair bobbing up and down .he looks at us and smiles and gives us a triumphant wink.Poor Lily was struggling up them stairs with Ger on her shoulder .Eventually we made it to top and had a look out over Dublin ...Lily had to give us a lift to see out over the rail.There was wire mesh all above the rail so there was no danger of falling . The people down below looked like ants walking around. We skipped back down the stairs,even little Ger ,with poor Lily lagging behind.We jumped on a bus and we ran up the stairs to the front seat,we felt we were driving the bus. We all slept like babies that night ..even poor Lily ...zzzzzzzz
P.S. A year later in 1966 the pillar was blown up by the IRA.

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"OUR LITTLE PRINCESS"..........1965

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"She's a little Princess ",gushed one of the neighbours as they all peered into the
Moses Basket.

 The 4 Boys were standing in the corner of the room taking it all in.
The Ma had just arrived back from Hospital with her fifth child,A Baby Girl.
"What is her name?",says Rita."We are calling her Jacqueline",says the Ma.
"Ah that's lovely",says one of the neighbours,"Are you naming her after Jacqueline Kennedy?".
"Yes,we are",says the Ma.
Rita says," Jacqueline Kennedy might be the First Lady in America  ,but Jacqueline is our little Lady here ".
They all have a laugh.
Bem had Butterflies in his tummy,he was so excited to have a little sister .
All that Weekend the front door was like a revolving door with all the visitors
that came and went. Dolls and teddy Bears were all around the Moses Basket.
Little Ger takes one of the Dolls and starts to play with it.
"You're a Sissy",says Rick laughing .
Ger was not happy,"Am not",he says .
"You are so",says Rick.
With that Ger runs in to the Kitchen. .
"Ma ,Rick said I'm a Sissy",he says.
"Do'nt mind him pet",says Ma as she strokes his big head of hair.
Ger was happy for the bit of attention.
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 P.S.Later that year (Nov. 22),John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas,Texas.
Everyone was in shock ,grown men and women wept openly in the streets of Dublin and all over the World.  His family came from Wexford ,so everyone in Ireland felt like they had lost one of their own.
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Part 4......1964.
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Saturday morning and little Ger wakes up first and goes downstairs
and wakes up the boys with a roar, "Where's my Ma".
Rick and Bem jump out of bed and with Rob trailing behind they leg it down the stairs
taking 2 steps at a time.They go in the Kitchen and there is the Aunt Lily trying
to comfort Little Ger as he hugs her leg,"It's okay ,your Mammy will be back in awhile",says Lily.
The Ma comes in later and tells us that the Da had a crash on his Motorbike and was
in hospital.The boys are all upset,but the Ma cheers them up by telling them they can visit
him the next day in the Hospital.
"What's a Hospital?",says Ger.
"It's a place people go to get better",says the Ma.
On the Sunday they all go to Jervis St Hospital to see the Da,Big Ger.
His leg was in plaster from his hip right down onto his foot,It was a bad
Break and he had to get permanent plates and pins in his leg.
"Bang goes my football career",says the Da laughing.
He allows the boys to sign their names on his plastered leg.
He would be out of work for 9 months that year recovering.
Later that year Bem was doing a Dress Rehearsal for the Christmas Show in Junior School on the School
Stage .Himself and His schoolmates were decked out with Black Berets and Sun glasses
and marching and singing the song,"A Nation once again".
In pops the Da on his crutches and calls Bem and the Boys over and gives out drinks and chocolate to all of them..
The Boys were all delighted as back in them days it was a big treat to get Chocolate as money was very scarce,and generally you could only afford
toffee bars which cost one penny.
You rarely got a chance to eat one all for yourself as there was always a kid
lurking around looking for a share of it.
Every Friday was goody night in our house at 177 so the Da used to send the 2 eldest(Rick and Bem) up for a block of ice cream and a bottle of minerals and a bag of Cleeves broken toffee bars which were very tasty.
The Ma used to line up the cups(glasses were only to be used for special Occasions)  and first put the ice cream in and then pour the minerals in on top.
It was every kid for themselves and every cup was emptied pronto.
There was no waste back then ,everything was consumed ,plates were licked clean
after every dinner and the Ma used to say,laughing ,"There's not much cleaning on them dishes,yous have practically
licked them clean".                                                

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THE EARLY YEARS(SCHOOLDAYS)........1962

   

One morning in September 1962 the 3 boys were sleeping in their shared
bed when they hear,"Right boys rise and shine,its time for School".
The Ma was standing at the end of their bed and Rick says,"Ah Ma ,do we have to?".
"Now,Rick,you know you have to go,remember we agreed last night ",she says.
Little Ger says,"Can i go too".
"Sorry,Ger,but you have to wait till next year when your 4",says Ma.
The boys climb out of bed and get dressed.
The 3 boys wore identical clothes and were always mistaken for triplets.
(Back then their were no uniforms in their local school in Our Lady of Good Counsel ).

The boys go down to the kitchen and there on the table are 3 bowls of piping hot
porridge ."This is very hot ",says little Ger.
"Just blow it till it cools",says the Ma..
They finally finish the porridge and the Ma puts a plate of toast in front of them.
"Who wants marmalade on their toast?",she says.
"I don't like it,its yeuch",says Ger.
"Yes,please",says Bem. "Me too",says Rick.
After they finished their Breakfast the boys went up to the Bathroom and
brushed their teeth.
"Now just to brush their hair",says the Ma.
The 3 boys line up beside each other and the Ma brushes Rick's hair then Bem's and
then little Ger ,who had a mop of thick bushy hair.
"Ah ,that hurts Ma ,"says little Ger.
"Your hair is full of knots,Ger,sorry if it hurts",says Ma.
"Its okay,Ma",he says.
"RAT-TAT-TAT",went the knocker on the front door.
"Answer that door,Rick,its probably Rita",says Ma.
(Rita was an neighbour and friend of the Ma).
"Morning",says Rita as she comes in.
"Are yous all set for school?",she says to Rick and Bem.
Rick just looks at her and shrugs.
"Yes",says Bem.
The boys throw their schoolbags on their back,even little Ger had one as the Ma did not want him to feel left out.
They head up the road with the baby Bob in his pram and the boys holding
each side of the handles.
They get to the entrance on Sperrin road where other kids and their Ma's
were going in to the school.
Rita takes control of the pram and holds little Ger's hand as Ma
prepares to take the 2 older boys in to School.

As they were walking through the gate entrance.Rick grabs onto the gate
like a cat and shouts,"I'M NOT GOING IN THERE".

Bem looks at Rick and thinks,"What is this place we're are going in to?".
"Is this some kind of prison?."
A Teacher comes over and helps to coax Rick of the gate after a few
minutes.She is so nice and friendly ,Bem is thinking of jumping onto the gate himself
for a bit of attention.
Miss Smith was the Teacher and we went into her class in room 3.
We both settled in fairly quickly and after a few weeks ,Rick was moved to a class his
own age.(Unknown to Bem ,Rick had been to School the year before but had
thrown a wobbler so they held him back for a year).

THE EARLY YEARS( HAPPY IN YOUR NAPPY)......1962

 

"Boys,yous have a new Baby brother",says Gerard to his 3 sons,Rick the eldest(5 years old)Bem number 2,(4 years old)
and up to then Baby Brother Ger(2 and a half years old)  The boys were playing with their dinky collection of cars on the ground.
Rick and Bem looked up ,Ger was busy rolling around the ground.
"Ah,when is Mammy coming back,i miss her",says Bem.
"He is smelly",says Rick holding his nose and pointing at little Ger.
"Oh-o",says Da,"Who needs their nappy changed?".
Back then nappies were not disposable and were cloth nappies
with large safety pins on the side holding them up.
There were no wipes then either so it was a nightmare to
change a nappy,especially for fathers
back then who were not used to and did not want to get used to it.
It took plenty of practice and if not done right you could have
stuff leaking out.
Lucky for the Da ,just as he was about to attempt to change the smelly nappy,in comes  his sister Lily O Dea,who was visiting that day.
"Oooooh you are a smelly boy",she says to little Ger as she balanced him on her on her lap.
"Okay,great stuff,Lily,I'll go and put the kettle on for a cuppa",says Gerry relieved he got away with that nappy.
Rick and Bem were in knots laughing at little Ger trying to
wriggle off her lap.
"Stay easy,you little lump",she says.
Next day the Ma comes home from hospital with a little bundle
in her arms.
"This is  Rob,your new little Brother",she says to the boys
who were gathered around her looking for attention.
In comes the Aunt lilo who was staying for a few hours
 to help out,"Now ,boys,your Mammy needs a rest,so I want
yous to go and play with your toys",she says.
Rick and Bem walk over to their toys to play,but little Ger held on to
the Ma's legs and would not let go.
"I want din-din",he cried.
"Jaysus ,Kitty ,that child is always hungry for food,
He can certainly fill a nappy",says Lilo to the Ma.
The Ma just looks at her and smiles.
"Right,kitty ,off you go to bed for a rest,I will look after the kids
till Gerard gets home from work",she says.
The Ma goes upstairs and the boys are rolling around the ground
while Lily is getting din-din ready for the boys.
The new Baby is asleep in a Moses basket in the corner when Bem
decides to go over and have a peek in at the Baby.
He holds on to the side of the basket and is on his tippy-toes
barely peeking in when a roar comes from behind him,
"What are you doing?",roars Lilo.
Poor Bem, he wished he was wearing a nappy, as he got such
a fright he shit in his jocks.
In walks Lily sniffing the air  and says,"Little Ger is that you again being smelly?".
Ger starts crying and mumbles,"It's Bem-Bem,he is smelly".
Lily says"I don't believe it ,one is bad enough,aah,right up to the bath for you, Bem, 'till i hose you down..

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