I often refer to myself as an idiot, because I have been one on many occasions, and because I have that sort of sense of humour. But eating wine glasses? I was a mature student, and so found some of the practices of the other students a little eccentric. We had an extrovert in our… Continue reading Belfast 1946 to ’50 in order, Idiocy and Practical Jokes.
Category: post WW2
Belfast 1946 to ’50 in order, The Effect of an English Accent.
When I worked in Belfast for the council and English travellers came to the little room where we interviewed them, whoever went to the window, returned and said to me, ‘you talk to them, you speak their language’. Just a joke with an edge – in other words, one might be with the Irish, but,… Continue reading Belfast 1946 to ’50 in order, The Effect of an English Accent.
Belfast 1946 to 50 in order, Characters 1
The Little Man in Portnoo, Co Donegal In the hotel in Portnoo, one wet Sunday lunch time, I came across a strange little man. We all met for a pre lunch drink and a chat. In those days Portnoo was not as well known and the people who summered there were generally medical or clerical.… Continue reading Belfast 1946 to 50 in order, Characters 1
Belfast 1946 to ’50 in order, Old Ned.
My in-laws were generous and kind, and any member of their extended family in trouble was welcome. So it was when Ned came to stay, permanently. Ned was both a character and a knowing old devil. In his late eighties when I first met him, tall, stooped, severely rheumatic, lame and rheumy of eye, he… Continue reading Belfast 1946 to ’50 in order, Old Ned.
Belfast 1946 to ’50 in order, Ignorance is not bliss in Belfast.
In spite of having worked in Belfast for fifteen months I was ignorant of this country’s traditions. During the war local differences were dwarfed. Today English School children know ten times more than I did, as I had never seen an Orange Procession until 1946 I looked upon the Orangemen like I did the Scouts… Continue reading Belfast 1946 to ’50 in order, Ignorance is not bliss in Belfast.
Belfast 1946 to 50, College capers
Study And The Benzedrine Pill For years I have known I can’t be taught, I prefer to read books and find out for myself. Whether, as I suspect, the droning of another voice hypnotises me, or whether I just nod off, all I know is I tend to get on better on my own. My… Continue reading Belfast 1946 to 50, College capers
Belfast 1946 to ’50 in order, Chicanery in The Old Days
In spite of what follows, I still stand by what I have previously said, working for the Council is still preferable to direction from Central Government. Not only for the worker who has immediate contacts and sees the work in detail, but for the public he serves. When I was looking for my first engineering… Continue reading Belfast 1946 to ’50 in order, Chicanery in The Old Days
Belfast 1946 to 50 in order. Change should not be inspirational
It Is A Prescription For Disaster I worked with a man, Fred, who, upon demob, took a temporary job to feed himself and his family. He became a civilian clerk to the Royal Army Service Corp. The barracks where he worked was a ‘Holding Company’, somewhere to take soldiers in between periods of active service.… Continue reading Belfast 1946 to 50 in order. Change should not be inspirational