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At the start of the year a group of us decided to get out and about and go to places we had rarely been to. Of course being athletes we walked the many roads, cemeteries, glens and walkways in and around Béal Feirste. Alright we were limited to where we ventured but at least it got us fit and healthy!
In March we went to the Silent Valley and our next port of call was to be Tullymore Forest but with the coronavirus pandemic it and many other places were closed so it was back to pounding the streets of this fair city.
Yesterday morning me, Alex McCrory, John McCusker, Michael Nelson and Duncan hit the road and as soon as we were all in the car a lively conversation started, and given the strong opinions of all of us it centered on politics. Of course we don't always agree but this added to the craic. Given the time of year we passed a number of snoutvilles which were bedecked in their usual rags but we just laughed as we went on our merry way.
We found out about the place as we walked and talked and as we knew many fine places throughout the country were stolen by planters and lots of them are still 'owned' by their families. This particular place was taken over by the Magennis family and during the Plantation of Ulster they built a mansion and forced the locals to work for a pittance or else forced them off the land. Another family, the Hamiltons, moved in and they built bridges, sawmills, follies and other features, many of which can be seen today.
It's obliviously a very popular place to visit because on our 6 mile trek there were people of all ages walking about and occasionally we'd see others on horses and all said hello as they passed us ... now wouldn't it be great if it was like this all the time!!
When we got back to the car we had a picnic. None of your soggy tomato sandwiches and bottle of buttermilk for us but spicy cheeses, cucumber, soda farls filled with tuna, boiled eggs, crispy onions covered in a spicy sauce. We got talking about the things we missed when in gaol and the obvious ones were a good fry, Chinese takeaway and steak. Yes, the simple things we take for granted.
So we hit the road and again we had a lively conversation. Alex had us in stitches about some of the characters we knew from gaol and one was the boul Harry McCavana. Harry was a lot older than us and was always smoking the pipe and he was big into westerns. When I first met him I went into the big cell with him and Ned Maguire to watch High Noon. Other lads on the wing warned me that it would be hard to watch with Harry and Ned but I was looking forward to it. We got our tea, coffee and biscuits and once the door was locked and the screws left the wing the film came on the TV. Harry lit his pipe up and Ned started on the roll ups and once the Tex Ritter song, Do not forsake me on my darling, came on the lads joined in. With the door locked and the screws off the wing I was in for a long hour and a half. They had seen the film at least a dozen and they knew nearly every line and they were like two big kids saying to me wait 'til you see this every few minutes.
In March we went to the Silent Valley and our next port of call was to be Tullymore Forest but with the coronavirus pandemic it and many other places were closed so it was back to pounding the streets of this fair city.
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Before we knew it we had reached our destination so after parking up we asked a friendly fella to take a few photos of us and then on we went up one of the many paths. We were in no hurry so as we ambled along we were struck at the beauty of the place.
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It's obliviously a very popular place to visit because on our 6 mile trek there were people of all ages walking about and occasionally we'd see others on horses and all said hello as they passed us ... now wouldn't it be great if it was like this all the time!!
When we got back to the car we had a picnic. None of your soggy tomato sandwiches and bottle of buttermilk for us but spicy cheeses, cucumber, soda farls filled with tuna, boiled eggs, crispy onions covered in a spicy sauce. We got talking about the things we missed when in gaol and the obvious ones were a good fry, Chinese takeaway and steak. Yes, the simple things we take for granted.
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When the door opened I went straight out to the yard to get my head showered. They were definitely two characters but I got on well with them. Alex was saying when he was on the wing with Harry he was one of the first out of the cell when the doors opened about 8am and as he walked with his piss pot to slop out he either sang or whistled the Tex Ritter song and on the way home Alex couldn't get it out of his head ...!
Given the day that was in it we were in the mood for a few - ok more than a few! - pints so we headed to The Rock bar and the craic continued for a number of hours. While there we bumped into people we hadn't seen in months and one was Goose Russell. Goose is another character and has plenty of yarns to tell. Of course he embellishes them now and again but that's what makes them worth listening to.
Given the day that was in it we were in the mood for a few - ok more than a few! - pints so we headed to The Rock bar and the craic continued for a number of hours. While there we bumped into people we hadn't seen in months and one was Goose Russell. Goose is another character and has plenty of yarns to tell. Of course he embellishes them now and again but that's what makes them worth listening to.
Our next journey is to ... sorry, I'm sworn to secrecy!
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| Padraic Mac Coitir is a former republican prisoner and current political activist. |
Loved this piece Big Harry & Big Ned. Harry was a great story teller and singer. He loved the Cowboy songs and did a brilliant version of Ghost Riders in the Sky during the blanket. A very knowledgeable and well read man. He always called his sisters "the Dolly Sisters" and they were regular visitors to him. Another one to die much too soon. I never got to his funeral as I was in Nottingham if I recall rightly. Was at Big Ned's.
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