REAL DUBS

I've just been through my copy of this rare publication. If I read it correctly this is just the fourth issue, the original having been published in 1991.

My people are from down the road in James's St. so I'm technically outside the area of coverage of the journal. However, Richmond Barracks is slap bang in the middle of the area and my great grandfather (mother's maternal grandfather) and my grandfather (mother's father) have both been associated with the Barracks in very different capacities. And that is what allowed me to make a contribution to the current issue.

My theme arises from a remark of my mother's that we are real Dubs from way back. However my initial research into my family origins quickly disposed of the mother's aspiration to Dublin royalty. The mother's granny was from King's County (now Laois) and her granda was from Wicklow. So much for real dubs from way back.

But I do have a wider interest in the area.

The first story in the journal that caught my attention was entitled Singing Brothers. My first thought was some guys who sang at parties and the modest way in which the story was told did not contradict that. But a careful reading of the later part of the story revealed that we were talking about the BACHELORS.

I was a big fan of the Bachelors back in the day. I was an even greater fan of them in their earlier manifestation as the Harmonichords. All in all a pleasant surprise.

Of course there is no shortage of talent in the wider area. Brendan Grace from my generation springs to mind and Imelda May from the next, both from just down the road as it were.

Then there were the locally themed Christmas Cards, some examples of which are reproduced in the journal. They look like real quality and it's great to be able to send locally themed cards to those who've moved abroad. That was when we used to send loads of cards at Christmas. I have had the same experience with a different artist in Raheny. Cards like this are a real boost to the community.

Patrick Coombs WWI career in the Royal Navy reminded me of one of my own relations who went down with his ship in the Battle of Jutland. Patrick survived and the journal shows his naval record sheet. I have one such sheet for my own relation and it is invaluable when pieced together with evidence from other sources.

Patriotic Terrace is a name with a ring to it and that too reminded me of something from my own family history. Construction some hundred odd years ago often consisted of isolated terraces which were subsequently integrated into the roads on which they were situated and the names of these terraces often vanished. My grandfather lived on Park View Terrace which was later integrated into Brookfield Road, just like Patriotic Terrace.

I once spent a lot of time looking for Hebron Terrace where a relation had lived. I eventually found it had been integrated into Dolphin's Barn St./Cork St. It had been roughtly opposite Emerald Square, which is still thankfully with us.

Then there's the amazing story about the dedicated female footballer Anne O'Brien.

And an inspirational story about how the locals persuaded Dublin City Council to buy the Kilmainham Mill which is now being preserved and restored.

There's a lot of stuff in this issue, as you will have gathered from the above. I enjoyed reading it all and look forward to the next issue.

But I can't leave without complimenting the publishers on the excellent cover (shown above) which is very well designed and incorporates an appropriate photo from 1932 from the Patrick Nolan collection.

The journal is available in three local shops;

Reflection's hairdressers on Emmet Rd,
The Butcher shop on Bulfin Rd.
Today's Local supermarket, top of Tyrconnell Rd.
Possibly also Dublin Food Co-Op in Kilmainham