In Reply to: Re: Pattern Fair Day, Castlebar posted by Reg on May 15, 2010 at 06:41:49:

a cara....we can ask and ...ask....but we can't have again ...what once seemed ours forever...the way things looked....the rolling green fileds....the caileach in the kitchen corner....the big fire hearth....a loved face....they're gone...i'm thinking of the days that are no more.......but in the catalogue of my mind ....i can open a page of our golden times....and paint a picture of once upon a good time....as i stated the may 11th. fair day was a collage of many things......the commerce of market.....farmers far and wide drove their stock to town ....this was the time for them to get some ready cash......time to restock the mattress with money.....it was a time to buy neccessary commodoties whilst in town.....i can still see those farmers riding out of town with things on their carriers.....parcels hanging off the handle bars.....in town they exchanged news and info with their fellow farmers....they had a few pints....and if they had any of their children with them....they'd but them ...a mineral....and a packet of marietta ...or goldgrain......evry archway was filled with cattle with various red raddle markings....the banter ...the innoncence.....the irishisms....."sean...is it yerself....did ya go home yet.....i hear fresians were going a good price.....
the arch at the humbert inn was a favourite ....firstly there might be a chance to see ..."the man himself"....miceal omorain.....and of course across the street......the munster and leinster bank....rattigans on castle street was also a hot spot....after all his motto....no cheques too big ...no cheques too small.....we have lots of cash to change them all....prevailed....the whole town from mchale road ....to main street....to ellison street.....the fair green.....was a giant "circus".....we as kids ....got cans of free milk....we made the odd bob watching cattle.....we listened to the jargon of the traders.....as they wrapped up a second hand jacket or trousers in newspaper and twine.....barking ....anopther one gone ....charlie.....sold to the man with the straight hair .....the curled down nose....the bent up toes ...and the false chest.....and the old farmer....asking as he paid.....ye'll give something back for luck......i wish the luck to wear it would be the reply.....tom molloney and his dilesck table and stand with its snow white cloth......and a mound of fresh weed .....they're were people selling currant buns.....glazed like a golden sun....this my friend was some of the crack....long ago.....the local siocholonie ....paraded up and down.....no walkie talkies then.....just the uniform....and a baton in a leather holster......patsy fagan.....the searge. john lohan....garda tierney.....john cashin....john ward.....et al .....patrolled in thier buttoned to the neck tunics...always with their thumbs stuck in the buttons of the upper tunic pockets.....everybody was in the act.....vinny mchugh manned the market square......and john hyland ....fixed the odd clock....smiler murphy.....packed them in.....and willy munnely sold the odd bike....as evening fell the the excitement slowed down.....as the streets became empty of cattle and farmers.....no one worried about cowshit......after all....this was part and parcel of the day.....now about the amrk on the convent wall......after a feed of guiness......and brandy and port....i drove my white vauxhall estate....down castle street...about 9pm......at mitchells i lost control.......and drove it throught he wall....leaving a a mark that has stood through time....that happened on may 11th......1967.....i was never approached by the siocholonie...then....iafter the crash i pulled myself together......drove the car up to mchale road.....the next day ...my good friend cathal duffy...and padraig kelly{body shop artist } took care of the repair....a wek later i was driving up by tom twiggs.....2 of the local siocholonie.....mick devanney..and some other rookie.....they questioned me about it.....i told them i couldnt remember what happened 5 minutes ago...never mind what happened a week ago.....i told them to let me know if they found out anything....and drove into the derrycoosh night air.......nostalgia .....is an escape into the rivers of yesterday......and its the keyboard of life.....
....tog go bog e