Things I've seen and places I've been...Media influence.

This is a long but possibly endearing tale..Back 30 odd years ago Boxty and his/my late father (Bossman) were in London town, upon the demise of a valued uncle of mine and a brother of the Bossman, who was in his mid 70/s at this stage. A pal of Boxty's, a publican, provided us with accommodation in his premises free of charge? given that my recently deceased uncle was a patron of his...Ger and Joan Foley (The Windmill in Acton).. still there... .

London, or any part of Britain, being notoriously slow for funerals was proving arduous on Boxty and father and hence, on a Tuesday night we were scoffing a couple of half-ones in company with said Foley and a couple of randomers when the pub phone went off....
Foley: Whos's this??
Caller:Mick from the Slieve, who's there?
Foley: Boxty, his father and a couple of lads..
Caller: C'mup ta fook...the Arsenal lads are here and on the tear!!!

A minicab is summoned and in 10 mins. we're all in "The Slievenamon" on the Tottenham high road, where the gaffer, Mick McGrath (Toomevara and Tipp and a hurling lunatic) is holding court..
True enough the Arsenal lads are on the rip!!! and are on-site as well..A big oul' pub, empty, bar those in for the "lock-in" but in a half an hour we're all in the one group..smoking, scoffing etc. until the landlord (McGrath) bangs 12-14 half-ones on the counter with the immortal phrase....
McG: Well lads, any a ye hurl?
Jennings: Top job Mick..great for the co-ordination..
Mick: What about you Dave?
O'Leary: Cool game, bit rough here and there...
Mick: What about you Liam (Brady) ?....McGrath in his element here.,,
Brady: That stick sh1t thing a game for boggers and peasants!!
Mick: You wha????
Brady: Yeah! Mucksavage stuff...rural pursuits...
Mick: Only for your left leg you'd still be a box technician in Gubay's (now Tesco).
Brady: Puffs out chest and utters "Ya cnut"...

McGrath(65'sh) single-handed, vaults counter and pummels Brady into a heap!!!

The Bossman calls for order and following one more, we all depart....

The following day the Boss and myself find ourselves in the vicinity of "The Slievenamon" and we ramble in..
Scarcely had we our beaks in pints (sponsored by Mick) when in rowls the bould' Jennings.."How's the men?"..
Mick: How's the form Pat, any word of "Chippy"?
Jennings: Not a word Mick, not at training..h'mm....

In bursts a paperboy and horses out 3 London Evening Standards.....Thatcher...Europe....and the backpage..
Brady with a couple of black eyes, lumps here and there and the headline....

"Irish ace mugged in the Underground"...................Halycon days, Boxty Mór agus Boxty beag....

Jaysus - you're wasted on this site seanachai Boxty! Great yarn!

[quote="Jayo Cluxton"]Jaysus - you're wasted on this site seanachai Boxty! Great yarn! /quote]

You will find "The Windmill in Acton" in the same hands today.....Ger (I'd say won a minor) possibly .....but is a full solid Gaél......In the pantheon of Boxty luminaries...Ger Foley.....Rathvilly (The home of football) is up there with the best........

Tisn't about medals.....'tis all about lads or lassies that you've battled with or agin' and time moves on..

Boxtyeater wrote:
Tisn't about medals.....'tis all about lads or lassies that you've battled with or agin' and time moves on..

Tis indeed ..... and its class

Cool story. The Windmill is a handy spot to lure hot atipodean young wans either before or after an all nighter in the RedBack just down the road. Theres a fine Galway pub just a little further up the road again in Ealing Common, 'Johnno's', run by a proper auld stock Donegal lass by the name of Bridgín. Paddy was on his last legs when I lived round those parts but I'd say he's getting a daycent run again with the latest exodus.

Good story Boxty, a very enjoyable read.

Enjoyed that story Boxty
I once spent a year in London about 20 years back lashing out pints of quickly poured stout for a Dublin Bar Czar. The Guvnors were a couple from Tipp - an unholy alliance of Toomevara and Nenagh. Myself and the male half of the duo spent many a Sunday afternoon seeking holy hour (3-7) shelter in tipp friendly watering holes including some of those mentioned above.
I can recall another Sunday where we ventured to a "madella house" type concrete Jungle off the Walworth road to vist a pub ran by my Guvnors in laws in law who just happended to be a portly Offaly forward non too popular down Trionas neck of the woods or fiveonas as it would have been back then.
Was at the guvnors wedding in 93 in some society hotel in mayfair full of Toomevaras finest. I recall being at table with the aforementioned mr. darby and a small ball ace from Nenagh by the name of M cleary.
Happy recessionary days indeed

mossbags wrote:Cool story. The Windmill is a handy spot to lure hot atipodean young wans either before or after an all nighter in the RedBack just down the road. Theres a fine Galway pub just a little further up the road again in Ealing Common, 'Johnno's', run by a proper auld stock Donegal lass by the name of Bridgín. Paddy was on his last legs when I lived round those parts but I'd say he's getting a daycent run again with the latest exodus.

Great, great call Bags...For some unknown reason, the Foley's (Windmill) host a Christmas Day dinner for ne're do well Aussies annually...the full lash, turkey, spuds and a few jars!!!! At last call Ger informs me they had around 30 for the day....