NANNY CARROLL 1970

It;s a Saturday afternoon and Bem ,Rick ,Ger and a few lads and lasses head into Camden St to the De-Luxe Cinema.(now the Palace nightclub)
They wanted a change of scenery as They normally would go to the Star Cinema in Crumlin.
They jump off the 22 Bus in Camden st.
"Lets go and say hello to Nanny Carroll ",says Rick to Bem and Ger Junior.                                             They tell the others to go ahead while they crossed over to the other side of the road.
Lined up along side each other were numerous stalls selling different types of food.
In among them was a small Stall with all types of Fish.
It was their Nanny's fish Stall,Her name was Elizabeth Carroll( nee Hayden/Doyle).
She was Ger senior's mother. She had been a widow since 1932 when she was pregnant
with Gerard senior,Her husband,Patrick had died suddenly (He had been a soldier in the Army).
Elizabeth was left to bring up 9 children(5 boys and 4 girls) on her own.
Back then there was no social welfare or any kind of help.
So she had no choice but to go and work the stalls.
Every morning She got up out of bed at 5 a.m. to go to the Smithfield fish market with her Pram
which she used to transport her fish.
She would then come back and get the kids ready for school .
Then it was off to Camden St to sell the Fish.
She worked there way past her pensionable age.


"Hi,Nanny", the 3 boys greet their Nanny.
"Hello boys ",says Nanny to the Boys.
"Does your Mammy know you's are down here ?", she says.
"Yes ,We are just going to the De-Luxe Cinema ",says Rick.
"What film is on ?", she says.
"A John Wayne Cowboy film ",says Bem.
"Yous will need a few shillings for sweets and ice-cream",says Nanny to the Boys.
"Ger,Why are you pinching your nose ?", laughs Nanny.
"I don't like the smell of fish",says Ger Junior.
Nanny opens her overcoat to reveal her money belt.
She gives the boys a few shillings.
"Thanks ,Nanny",they say almost in unison.
"Rose , will you mind my stall for a few minutes ?", she says to the Lady in the Vegetable stall
beside her.
"Yeah,Liz, you go ahead", says Rose.
"Come on ,Boys , I'll leave yous across the road ",says Elizabeth.
She leaves them across to the Cinema and the lads are delighted with the few shillings.
"Goodbye,Nanny",says the Boys .
The Nanny says Goodbye and waves as She crosses the road back to her stall.
The boys join their friends and buy a load of goodies and go in to see their Cowboy film.
Later when they came out to get their bus ,Their Nanny had finished her days work and
her stall was packed up and gone.
She died a few years later in 1979 .

Boxing Brothers .DRIMNAGH BOXING CLUB.1970s/80s/90s..

Back in 1970 Ger was a member of The Drimnagh Boxing club for awhile when Bem
decided to give it a try.Ger had joined with a classmate of his ,Phil Sutcliffe.
Joe Bean and Paddy Oglesby  were the Trainers,with Joe training the younger lads and
Paddy training the Seniors.
The Gym was located on Keeper road .
It was called The Frank Kerr Memorial Hall.
Frank was a Coach in Drimnagh Boxing club in the 60s and was a well known boxer who had won many titles.

He coached his son Brian in the Boxing club who would later become Manager of the Irish soccer team.
The training was rigorous and Bem ,Ger ,Phil and the other juniors
would train 2 or 3 times a week.
Shadow Boxing,Skipping, pounding the Punchbag,Speed/Ball,Sparring in the Ring,
Floor exercises and a 2 mile run were all part of the training sessions.
On Bem's first night ,Ger picked up a giant leather ball and called "Catch,Bem ",
Bem turned around and the ball bounced against Bem as he fell to the floor.
He had been introduced to ,"The Medicine Ball".
The lads had a good laugh as all new lads got "The Medicine Ball Introduction".
The Medicine Ball was used to strengthen body muscles.
After been a member for a couple of months Bem was lined up for his first fight
in a Tournament that Drimnagh B.C. were running with clubs from around the City.
Ger and Phil had already got a couple of bouts under their belt.
Bem went down for the weigh-in, He weighted in at 7 stone.
Phil was lighter and Ger was about a stone heavier than Bem but a year younger
at 11 year old.
Bem was matched against a guy from the Phoenix Boxing Club.(The Phoenix Boxing Club
was located in Parkgate st ,and their gym was above a barber,s shop.)
Ger was matched against a guy from Terenure ,whom he had beaten before.
Bem,s nerves were gone before the fight.
A good crowd had gathered in the Club.
"Bem,Let,s get your wraps and gloves on ,your fight is coming up soon",said Joe to Bem.
Back then head gear was only used in sparring sessions.
Gum shields were not commonly used either.
"Take deep breaths",said Joe to Bem after he got him ready for the fight`.
Bem comes out of the dressing room for his fight and walks to the ringside.
His body was shaking with his nerves.
He climbs over the bottom rope and into the ring.
He looks over to the other corner and can't believe it.
His opponent was the guy from Terenure who was supposed to be Ger's opponent.
"Don't worry ,It will be alright ",says Joe.
"Centre of the ring ,Boys",says the Ref.
"When I say break ,yous break,Okay lads ?",says the Ref.
They both nod as They eyeball each other.
"Right, touch gloves ",says the Ref.
They go back to their respective corners.
"Ding,Ding",the bell sounds as the fight starts.
The other guy comes out swinging.
Bem just jabs and moves as Joe had told him.
Round 1 is over and it is even enough.
Second round and Bem just shades by keeping on the move and jabbing
as any time the other guy got close he tried to use his weight advantage against Bem.
"Right,Bem ,I need you to give everything in this last round as its still too close to call",
says Joe.
The fight is over after 3 tight rounds and Bem gets the decision.
He feels great.
Ger was up next against the guy from Phoenix and loses on points .
The guy was a couple of years older than Ger and much more experienced.
Joe later told Bem that they had switched opponents as it would have been unfair to
put Bem in with the guy in his first fight.
Bem ,Ger,Phil and a couple of other guys were entered into the Dublin Boxing Leagues the following year.
Five of them made it to the finals that year.
Bem got to fight in the National Stadium's main ring.
He was so excited.
After the first round the Ref(Well known Charlie Higgins) came over to both corners and told both boxers to start throwing punches
as they had both been shadow-boxing for the first round as the nerves had got the better of them.


After the second round he came over again and told them he would disqualify them both if they
did not box more.
Round 3 was a big improvement but unfortunately Bem lost on a majority decision.
Ger got to fight his final in the Ringside club but unfortunately lost against an older guy(because Ger was big for his age he often fought guys older than him.)
The Ref for his fight was none other than well known Lugs Brannigan.
Bem and Ger would fight for a couple more years but Phil Sutcliffe would go on to win numerous titles including Irish senior titles ,European Bronze medal,International bouts around the world and the Olympics where he lost to a Mexican fighter who would go on to be a World Professional  Champion.
When Bem and Ger were still in the Club,The great amateur fighter Mick Dowling who had already won Irish Senior Titles joined Drimnagh Boxing Club ,with who he would win more Titles.
Mick won 8 Irish Senior Titles in Total .
All the lads were excited.
The highlight was during one training session Mick allowed a few of the Lads,including Bem,
to spar a round each with him. The guy was so fast it was hard to lay a jab on him.
Another highlight for Bem and Ger was one evening in came came the famous Christle boxing
brothers,Mel ,Joe and Terry who would all become Irish Senior Champions (Terry would also be
the French Senior Champ),with their father and uncle .
The boys were looking to do a training session as their club had been burned down
and they used to travel around different clubs .
Ger and Bem were picked to spar with a brother each.....Bem with the youngest brother Joe and Ger
with Terry.
The Christles were good boxers so for Bem and Ger it was a great experience.
There were a few groups of Brothers who boxed in The Drimnagh Boxing Club.
One group of Brothers in the 70s and 80s were the Ruth Brothers,,,,,George ,Christy and the
youngest Paddy.
George and Christy were Irish Senior Champions while Paddy twice made it to the Senior finals
where he lost on both occasions to future World Professional Champions,Sam Storey and Ray
Close.
Phil Sutcliffe's younger brother ,Derek Sutcliffe was also a Irish Senior Champion.
A Great Achievement  was yet to come as  Paul Griffin (Winner of 4 Irish Senior Titles at Featherweight) ,won the Gold medal in Gothenburg in 1991 at the  European Championships.
He also won the Bronze medal at the next European Championships.
Then The Biggest Achievement was by Michael Carruth who in 1992 in the Barcelona
Olympics won the Gold medal at Welterweight and won against a Cuban,Juan Hernandez, in the final.

Michael had also won a Bronze medal in the World Senior Championships in 1989.
Michael's father,Austin was a Coach in the Club and was always in Michael's corner when he fought.
Michael is one of Triplet Brothers , Martin and William being the other 2 .
They also boxed as well.
Michael is himself a Coach along with his Brothers in Drimnagh Boxing Club.
In 2015 Drimnagh Boxing Club will celebrate its 50 th Anniversary.

THE GRUSHIE 1968

Every Saturday all the kids on the road would head up to the Parish Church.
It was'nt for Religious reasons it was more for Monetary reasons.
Sunday was Mass day.
Carroll's family home was literally around the corner from the Church.
Saturday was Wedding day in the Church and the kids would gather

for the Grushie.
The Grushie would happen after the ceremony and the Best man would throw a
load of coins out of the wedding car as it drove out of the Church.
One Saturday at about 2 o clock Bem,Rick,little Ger and all the little urchins gathered around the Church grounds.
The Wedding crowd emerged from the Church.They then assembled to get their photos done .

Afterwards the Happy couple get into their White Mercedes.  Then the Best man and grooms and Bridesmaids  get into their car behind.
There are about 30 kids all gathered anticipating with great excitement the fall of coins.
Some with holes in their raggy clothes .Some with battered shoes with flapping soles.
Talking shoes we used to call them.
Next the moment everyone is waiting for ,A hand comes out the car window and into the air goes
a load of coins."It's raining coins",shouts one of the kids.
The coins go everywhere , Tanners ,three-penny pieces ,pennies,halfpennies ,The odd  Shilling   ,so do the kids.
Girls ,Boys are rolling on the ground fighting over every coin.
Silver coins are  the ones everyone is after.

Bem spots a lovely shiny one and makes a dive for it.
Govo had dived at the same time.
Bem's shoe gets caught on the kerb and his sole rips open.
Heads banged together and while Bem and Govo are rubbing their heads , Josie picks up
The One Shilling coin.She jumps with joy and runs off.
After all the dust had settled all the kids head over to the Kiosk which was across from

the Church.It was situated in a roundabout.
Mister Carter was the blind man who ran it.
There was only a little hatch in which he served the Customers.
The amazing thing to the kids was he generally was able to know all the kids by their voices.
Any kid that tried to trick him with coins had no chance ,he knew the feel of them off by hard.
Penny toffees and loose sweets and Lollipops were the order of the day.
The kids who ended up with no money from the Grushie would be hoping for some scraps .

Generally most kids would share the goodies as they could be the ones who ended up with no money the following week.
Bem and Govo ended up with no coins but Josie came over with Bullseye sweets for Bem,whom she had
a soft spot for.         Bem went all red when the Boys all slagged him about Josie.                Bem threw a few on to Govo who was still rubbing his head and said to Bem,
"Carroller ,you have a head like a brick,but thanks for the Bullseyes".
Jim Brown who only lived across the road said,"Anyone fancy a game of ball ?".
"Yeah,go and get your football,Jimmy",says Rick.
"Can you get some sellotape ?,jimmy",says Bem.
"What for?",says Jimmy.
Bem holds up his shoe and moves the sole up and down and says,"Because I have a talking shoe".

"Ha ha,I'll see has me Ma got any",says Jimmy.
Jimmy comes back with the ball and a lump of rag.
"Here,try that ,no sellotape in the Gaff",he says.
Bem ties the rag around his shoe.
"That does the job",he says to Jimmy.
The boys play for a couple of hours.
It usually ended with siblings fighting each other.
This time it was Bem and Rick.  Bem had scored the winning goal and Rick who was on the losing side was not very happy.He was very competitive with Bem and started slagging Bem about Josie.
Handbag stuff it ended up.
"Your dinner is ready",shouted Jacky from across the road to Rick ,Bem and Ger.
The Boys made a dart for the house and Bem and Rick were neck and neck all the way to
the front door where Rick just got in first,poor Ger was left lagging behind.
The Da had made them a big fry up,Rashers,eggs,sausages and beans.

Every Saturday the Ma and her sister Joan would go into Town for some Retail Therapy.
Them few hours were precious to her as the rest of the time she was always very busy with 11 kids
to look after.
The fry was gulped down fairly quickly but Rick's plate was always empty first.
"Any seconds ,Da?",says Rick.
It was his regular question after every meal.
"No,Rick,sorry it's all gone ,have some bread",says the Da.
It's 6 o clock and only the 3 oldest boys,Rick,Bem and Ger are allowed back out to play.
"1 more hour and be back in for 7 o clock",says the Da to the Boys.
Out the door they go for another hour of playtime.

" LISBON LIONS 1967".

Back in the sixties when most people had no television people had to make their own Entertainment.
 Most houses had their own Wireless,as it was called back then ,now it's known as a radio.
We were lucky enough to have a T.V. in our house but all we had back then by the way of stations was R.T.E. 1.
Now and then they would show a few cartoons and that was the highlight.
Kids played all kinds of games on the streets.
Kids woke up ,went to school,came home ,done homework asap and then out to play.

Girls done their skipping and they also played a game which was called "Beds",in Dublin but more commonly known as Hopscotch.

Marbles was a very popular pastime for Boys.              
 But Soccer was the most popular on the streets of Dublin for all the young lads.
Manchester United and Glasgow Celtic were the most popular teams.

The 2 most popular players were Georgie Best of  Man. Utd and Jimmy (jinky)Johnstone of Celtic.
United had always got a steady supply of Irish players .
Celtic were founded by Irish priests.
Shamrock rovers were one of the most popular Irish teams.
Celtic and Rovers wore similar football strips,Green and white strips on their jerseys and white shorts.
Back then no one could afford a jersey.
Celtic had won the Scottish league the year before and they had a great run in the
European Cup(Champions league now).
Only the League Champions of each Country qualified for the European Cup.
It was a knockout competition and each round was played over two legs.
The final that year was being played in Lisbon.
Inter Milan and Celtic had made it to the final so there was great excitement on the streets of Dublin.
Everyone in Ireland treated Celtic like an Irish team as they were founded by Irish Catholic priests.
The Da had just bought a new Wireless and we all gathered around it while the match was on.
Back then the reception was'nt so good so there was a lot of buzzing noises coming from the Wireless.
Milan score first,everyone is downbeat as they had a great defence and were difficult to score against.
They had won the European cup twice already(This was Celtic's first final).
Celtic were playing some great football according to the commentator on the radio.
Next Celtic equalise from a shot by their fullback ,Tommy Gemmell.
Everyone is in raptures.
Bem,Rick and little Ger are jumping around with excitement.
"Ssssh",says the Da who kept trying to tune in the Wireless.
The Ma is sitting at the Kitchen table doing a bit of knitting,She looks as cool as a Cucumber.
Next a roar comes over the Wireless,"Chalmers has Scored for Celtic".
We all ran out on the streets screaming with joy.
The Da called us back in,"Lads they have'n t won yet there's still 6 minutes left.
Those 6 minutes felt like 6 hours.

Finally it was over,Celtic were European Champions.
Everyone were on the streets dancing with joy,even the Ma left down her knitting to join us.
   Everyone went to school the next day with a spring in their step.
After school we all replayed the final with our own matches.
Everyone wanted  Celtic as their team.
"The Lisbon Lions"....... European Champions.
About a week later the Ma called the boys into the Parlor one
day after school. "I have a surprise for you boys",she said.
"Close your eyes",she says to the 3 boys,Rick,Bem,and Ger.
"Here you's are",she says as she hands over 3 jumpers to the boys.
The boys try on their jumpers with great excitement as these were no ordinary jumpers,
They were in the green and white colours of Celtic.
"Ah ,thanks Ma",they say.The Ma had worked hard all week knitting them for the boys when they were either in school or bed or out playing.
"You's can thank Rita when you see her as she helped me to finish them for you",she says.
The boys grab a ball and go out to show off their new" football jersey's".
They were the envy of the road for awhile after that all thanks to the Ma.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX1968........THE RED DEVILS
It was Man Utd 's turn in 68 as they beat Benefica 4-1 at Wembley
after extra time,with goals from Brian Kidd ,Bobby Charlton(2) and the great George Best.
Benefica had the great player Eusebio on their side.

A TRIP TO BELFAST.1966

A TRIP UP THE ROAD.......1966
"Right,Kitty ,you sit in the back with the Baby........Rick and Bem ,you 2 in the front seat",says the Da
as he tries to organize us all into his car.There were 6 kids now,young Philly,the baby was born the October before.  "Dad,can i go in the front too",says Ger.  "There's not enough room,Ger",says Da.

"That's not fair",says Ger.  They head off to the Ma's Ma down the North Wall where they were leaving in the Baby ,Philly to Auntie Joan and Lily for the day to mind him. The Ma's Ma (our granny) was coming with us on a trip up to Belfast.   Bem and Rick were put back in the back seat with Ger,Rob ,Jacqueline and our poor granny Maggie. Da driving and the Ma in the front seat.The car was an Green Austin A 40 (probably a bit bigger than a Nissan micra). We  were all pretty squashed in the back....Back then there was no Motorway so we had to go through every town on the way,Dublin city centre,past the Airport,Swords,Drogheda ,Dundalk before we crossed the border into the North and then it was Newry,Lisburn,Portadown and then Belfast. A total of over 100 miles.Bem suffered from travel sickness so he had to have the seat at the window.The fresh air flowing through the window kept us all nice and cool.

When we got as far as Drogheda ,we stopped and had a picnic on the side of the road.
Ham sambo's and egg// onion ones.
It was a welcome relief to be out of the car for a little while.
Finally we arrived in Belfast with great excitement.
Maggie,our nanny bought us kids an ice pop each.
"Can I have 5 ice pops,please?",says Maggie to the Shopkeeper.
"We call them Ice lolly s up here",says the friendly Shopkeeper.
"That's 3 Shillings please",says the guy.
Maggie pays for them and we all cluster around her and get our Ice "lolly s".
"Thanks ,Nanny",we all say excitedly.
"You're welcome",she says.

These were not the ones we were used to in Dublin.
These ones were shaped like rockets.
We had never had ones like this before. After we had our rocket lolly s,the Da went back into the shop and bought us chocolate.
The big kids  got a mars bar each.They did not have them in Dublin back then.
The small kids got milky bars.
Even white chocolate was rare in Dublin but was in every sweet shop in Belfast.
We all slept like babies on the journey back to Dublin.
.................................A Few Years later the Troubles started up in the North,We were lucky we were there in the calm before the storm.

The Titanic ship was built in the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast in 1909...
It was reckoned to be unsinkable according to experts at the time,unfortunately it sank on it's maiden voyage when it struck an iceberg en route to America in 1912.