14th October,1999
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

GOLDEN MEMORIES OF YESTER-YEARS

Dear Editor,
Last weeks letter from Neil re-Boat Club Memories. It brought me back to those balmy nights of the 60’s era. I was one of those “Dolls” in “Umpteen Underskirts”. I would be starching it from one Sunday night to the other. Neil used to dance there before he met the love of his life, he was a thorough gentleman. Every Sunday night there would be a stampede for the bus at the Statue at 7.30.pm. The fare was 7 old pennys ( 3 new pence). The Boat Club was 7 old shillings (15 new pence), I stand to be corrected on those prices.
Every Monday morning we would get the ‘Examiner’ at work to read who would be playing in the Boat Club on the following Sunday night. The “Music Makers” were our favourites, and that would be our topic for the rest of the week. Jim Reeves was my favourite singer. The lights were always low in the Boat Club. The “Guys” would stand on one side of the hall, and the “Dolls” on the other side. When the music played up the “Guys” would make a bee-line across the floor for the “Dolls”. It was like a cattle mart. During the night ‘Ladies Choice’ would play up, that meant you would ask the “Guy” you danced with for the previous dance, and then he would return the next dance, and that meant you would have three dances with the same “Guy”.
I would always watch what colour ‘Tie’ the “Guy” would have that danced me, just in case Ladies Choice would play up.
This incident always stands out in my mind. As I said the lights were low. Ladies Choice played up. The “Guy” I had danced with had a lavender tie. I went across the floor to find him, saw this “Guy” with a lavender tie and I asked him to dance. We were going around the floor when I spotted the other poor “Guy” standing by the wall with his lavender tie and a long face on him, I nearly choked. I said to the fella I was dancing with that I had made a mistake, he started laughing and said “We are the only two guy’s in the hall with lavender ties”.
They were very trendy for that era. And would you believe the first “Guy” came back to me for the return of ladies choice. I was mortified, I apologised to him, he accepted and I was always guaranteed a dance with him from that night on. I did not marry the “Guy” with the lavender tie. But all my friends and myself met our husbands at the Boat Club, thirty odd years ago, and today we are all happily married . So Neil you will be in-undated with requests for the Re-cycled Teenagers Dinner Dance.
Thanks for the memories Neil!

Yours Sincerly
Re-cycled Teenager, Douglas

THE WILD MANDELLA BIRDS

Hi Michael,
I am writing this at the invitation of your reporter Top Flite/B-52, just to clarify that the amazing sight he saw in Waterford last week wasn’t his eyes playing tricks on him. I also saw that bird that sleeps standing up, I saw it in Killarney ten years ago on the eve of a Munster Final very late in the night, it’s plumage is the same as the Cork colours, red and white with red eyes. It was also seen in Croagh Park at the Hurling Final in September. It’s called the “South African Wild Mandella Bird”, it’s very very rare, there’s only one left in the world. The “Mandella Bird” can also sleep and drink while standing on it’s head. It is the only species in the world that can mate with itself. There was a nest of them over near the “Bow-Wow” ‘wan’ time but they all scattered years ago. It was said by the old people that you’d find them near churches and graveyards and ‘snugs’. It was supposed to bring great good luck if you spotted one, so ‘yer’ man should buy some lotto tickets. By the way who is he (Top Flite/B-52)? Is that guy a bomber pilot? ‘Cause that guy sure gets around, a round of golf, a round of drink, around the bend (bowling). East Douglas one week, East Waterford last-week, East Berlin another, an ‘iron man’ throwing iron balls all over the world.
The ‘Hall’ Golf Society and Road Bowling Club don’t get all the credit they deserve for prompting that ancient Irish sport of Road Bowling, I think that they should get a grant from the government, ‘twould be better than spending all that money on shirts in Paris. I wonder did ‘B-52’ take any photo’s of the “Mandella Bird” in Waterford? It looks fearsome but it is very friendly if you treat it right. I did manage to get a photo of it in Kerry in 1989. I wonder if it’s the same ‘fella’, I hope that these few lines will be helpful to B-52.

“SAM MAGUIRE”, Galway’s Lane, Douglas.

THANK YOU DOUGLAS WEEKLY

Dear Douglas weekly,

I get great pleasure from your weekly paper on the web ... well done. I have been residing in Toronto since 1968. However I
played all my hurling and football with Scoil @ colaiste chriost ri. I also played for many years with Nemo Rangers. I played hurling and football with Cork minors in 1964/1965 ... therefore I just love your sports stories. All the inter county G.A.A. is covered very well here in Toronto. Your local news is super. I am a school principal here in Toronto. I guess I should be visiting classes now instead of e-mailing you but when your are the boss....! My mother still resides at St. Josephs, South Douglas Rd. opposite Dosco and my brother Ray still lives in Douglas. I waited at the Fingerpost many times on the way to Rochestown for a swim. Well done and thanks for the memories ...

Cheers,
John Cawley.

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