The History of Crumlin

[bojangles]

Welcome to the Forum Seamus , lots of Crumlinites and Aussies on here .

[kilfo]

kimmage crumlin

is there another forum

[quinner]

HI Kilfo, Yes there are two other forums one i would not recommend the other is Dublin Forum .Com

Can you tell me the one you would not recommend.....LOL

[Seamus Greene]

Welcome to the Forum Seamus , lots of Crumlinites and Aussies on here .

thanks bojangles, yes I found a guy I went to school with in 1962 ( Armagh road ) on Facebook Martin Plunkett from Toungefield Road, had not seen him since about 1972 , I emigrated to Australia in 1974, it amazing now with Facebook and the internet.

[joan mack]

.....

[archangel]

Hi Joan, a long way from Mooney's in the 50, Some one is going to make a lot of money, lol.sad to see it going, but my memories are the 70s on holidays home from UK, always made my money for the Star, minding bikes at the pub, lol

[joan mack]

Gosh Gabriel I never remember bikes at the Star it must have got more opulent when I left most of the Patrons I remember were foot soldiers lol! My Dads favourite pub was Mooney's.

Sodality once a month followed up by a few drinks in Mooneys. He would say to us. "I am off to Thump me chest and bend me elbow"

I hope all is well with you Gabriel. I have to say I still find Crumlin much the same But I rarely go near the village unless I am visiting Crumlin graveyard which I have to say looks so well unlike the time I was growing up in Crumlin.

It was wild and overgrown and looked very scary. Now open and green and very well tended. My Grandparents are resting there and my Great Grandparents and lots more of the grand parents before that. The Clifford family my Grandparents looked after that graveyard for many years now they lie there

[archangel]

Hi Joan, you were nearly right on your Archangel's , Mine was Raphael, ha ha, I meant we minded bikes outside the pub, yes The Grave yard was in a sorry state in the 50s some were exposed it was very sad and the church was in a terrible state, its one of the oldest places in Crumlin and I am glad its looking good today,

[joan mack]

Raphael I just knew you were an angel lol! As soon as I clicked post I knew it was the wrong angel.

Yes that graveyard gave me nightmares, I once went with my sister to visit my grandparents grave

It was after school and we walked in and it was dark and scary. just as we decided to pray an elderly man stepped out of a grave and we ran like hell

Later we were told by my uncle that the man was a grave digger. No fancy machines then Raphael all dug by hand

My Grandfathers family and siblings lived right next to the graveyard.

Last year I visited with my cousin who has a young brother buried there with my grandparents, He was eight years old and he drowned in Ballyfermot, He was a good swimmer but his friend got into difficulties and he went to his assistance. The poor terrified child dragged him down. They were later found entwined.

Now people would never allow an eight year to go off with their friends for a dip but it was the done thing then. After that day I hated to see my brothers go off with their towels wrapped up. and I was always delighted when they came home safe

Here is a photo of my Cousin James Masterson he is the first one in the bottom row to your left. The other boy is in the group also but I don't which one

My cousin came home from America and she remembered the state the graveyard had been in prior to her emigrating to America and she was very surprised and delight at the revamp and it was lovely the way the graves were all marked out and the flay green grass was like a carpet with no scary trees around anymore. It was lovely to look at all the names many buried there hundreds of years ago.

[archangel]

Sorry Joan, I dont reconize any of the Lads, I will put up my only School class pic, Taken about 1953/4 I would think, Its CBS Brother O'Shaunessy's Class, Some body might rec themselves, I cannot remember any names just a few faces, I am Second row from bottom, third from left,

[joan mack]

Ah you all look so angelic. Never think you were all been tortured by the brothers. Your the same age as me Raphael so right across the road in the wicked convent the nuns were also in power.

Now I have to say Raphael you don't see any photos of nuns with their classes they must have been photo shy lol!

Do you remember when we were brought to confession and we marched up to the church the girls walked one side and the boys the other, They must have been afraid we would contaminate each other.

Canon Hickey always had a curtain across his confession box so he could not see you or you he so we all wanted to go to him lol!

Here is a photo of a family having a picnic in the scary St Mary Crumlin Church recently

[cosmo]

Raphael I just knew you were an angel lol! As soon as I clicked post I knew it was the wrong angel.

Yes that graveyard gave me nightmares, I once went with my sister to visit my grandparents grave

It was after school and we walked in and it was dark and scary. just as we decided to pray an elderly man stepped out of a grave and we ran like hell

Later we were told by my uncle that the man was a grave digger. No fancy machines then Raphael all dug by hand

My Grandfathers family and siblings lived right next to the graveyard.

Last year I visited with my cousin who has a young brother buried there with my grandparents, He was eight years old and he drowned in Ballyfermot, He was a good swimmer but his friend got into difficulties and he went to his assistance. The poor terrified child dragged him down. They were later found entwined.

Now people would never allow an eight year to go off with their friends for a dip but it was the done thing then. After that day I hated to see my brothers go off with their towels wrapped up. and I was always delighted when they came home safe

Here is a photo of my Cousin James Masterson he is the first one in the bottom row to your left. The other boy is in the group also but I don't which one

My cousin came home from America and she remembered the state the graveyard had been in prior to her emigrating to America and she was very surprised and delight at the revamp and it was lovely the way the graves were all marked out and the flay green grass was like a carpet with no scary trees around anymore. It was lovely to look at all the names many buried there hundreds of years ago.

hello joan,
just reading your post, I was there on the day the two young lads drowned [I was their age] [I thought it was nine] . the area had a stream and was in a valley ,it was purposely blocked by local lads [including ourselves from bally f, drimna, and crumlin etc] so it would fill up , it used to be like portmarnock with families out for the day or evening. the two boys walked out as the water rose up to their chests, but when they got to the stream [the couldn`t see it] they dropped about another two feet all of a sudden, unlike us , maybe they didn`t know there was a stream . its always in my memory , I remember seeing them being taken out , as you said the were holding on to each other. r.i.p.

[joan mack]

Yes Cosmo I had twin brother and sister the same age, The week before we have photos taken of their communion all smiling and happy. I knew it was in Ballyfermot somewhere he drowned, His mother never got over it. Anytime she saw a brown eyed boy she was so sad.

I worked in the Star then And I got passes for Wednesday Nights. My Mam invited her to go to try cheer her up months later.

The Picture featured lots of children and my Aunt had to leave and go home she got so upset.

My Brothers swam in the quarry and although very young My mam never gave a thought to their well being until James Drowned. His sister Eithne who used to post here looks exactly like him

[cosmo]

I did speak to eithne when she was on the forum . it wasn`t exactly in ballyfermot ,it was a stream that flowed out of the canal further up and then flowed under the road that connects ballyfermot and walkinstown and then onto bluebell . at the road bridge was the exact spot. back in the day it was very common to hear about kids drowining in the canal [I`m sure it would have been the same for the royal canal] I still remember seeing their faces as they were laid down on the grass, but I don`t see a resemblance in the photo, must be a memory thing. I won`t go on as it must be very hard for you even after all these years.

[joan mack]

Ah Cosmos they look so alike in reality Both resemble their Late Mother I have a photo of her Mother here somewhere and they are so alike. Only slight difference was Eithne had fair hair,

It changed our lives Cosmos in so far that up to then tragedy only affected other people and we quite happily saw sons and fathers go off with the rolled up towels and never worried about them.

James could swim on that day nobody will ever know what happened the fact that they clung to each other certainly stopped them of having any hope of saving themselves.

When we heard the sad news we all made our way to the home all uncles aunts cousins there were no words that could dispel the gloom.

Then seeing him buried with my Grandmother my grandfather was still alive at the time was dreadful. The Graveyard was completely overgrown and eerie and the last place you would like to visit.

It certainly affected us all and we did learn that life cannot be taken for granted,

It was great for Eithne to come home and make an appointment to see the grave and she was so amazed at the wonderful changes It was hard to imagine the dreary graveyard that once frightened the shite out of us.

Even though it was not the canal Cosmos they had to use gavelling irons to find the bodies. Thankfully we do not see kids swimming in canals or pools any more they all tend to use organized swimming pools