There were a lot of pubs to choose from in the neighbouring villages and you usually picked them by the day of the week. By that I mean certain pubs had a standard night for music and tried hard not to clash with each other. This lead to the same crowd basically moving around during the week.
Jimmy Danny's in Broadford was the Wednesday haunt and Lena Hanrahan's was the Thursday night bash, so you get the picture.
After work on Thursday I was in the local bar in the village having a couple of tasters before making my way to Lena's for a night of dancing, drinking and if I got lucky a bit of debauchery. Standing at the bar with a couple of friends the discussion went thus.
"Great night at Danny's last night" says Denis
"Aye, good craic" says I
"One of the best in a long time" says Denis
"Was I there?" inquired Jerry Cooney looking a little tender
"Aye" says I
"Did I have a good time?" says Jerry
sigh..
Anyway we geared up and headed for Feakle and parked up. You didn't hit Lena's too early as you didn't want to appear too keen, you know what I mean. So we ensconced ourselves in Pepper's bar for a couple. We lost Jerry here as he went for a piss and never came back. The next we heard of him he was in Australia buts that's another story for another time.
When the time was right we wandered into Lena's and had a right old time. Four dances, two fights and a particularly lively discussion on the merits of Mary O'Brien and the way she might look at you took us to closing time.
As per usual the front door closed, the band stopped and we got down to some serious drinking. Unfortunately this camaraderie was interrupted by a very loud knock on the front door announcing Guards On Duty. FECK
Now "found on's" were slapped with an automatic £50 fine and I for one didn't fancy paying it.
"Back Door" says I to Denis
"Back Door" agrees he
We ran behind the bar and into the kitchen where Lena's Mother was sitting at the table having a cup of tea.
"Hello Ger how's your mother" says she
"Fine Maam" says I
"Will you have a cup in your hand" says she
"Ah no thanks maam we are in a bit of a hurry" says I
"Oh Guards" says she
"Aye Guards" says I making for the back door.
"Fecking shower of no good losers" says she sipping daintily from the cup
Now the back door of the house led into a very overgrown haggard and we barrelled through and into the wilderness. It was a dark as sin out there and it was full of head high nettles and brambles and I was getting ripped and stung to beat the band. I felt the jacket and pants being ripped asunder and the shirt taking a beating. My face and bare hands were covered in nettle stings.
We stopped at the wall and I legged Denis up and he pulled me up after him and we sprinted down the back field to the main road where we holed up for a while until the coast was clear.
My face was a sight covered in stings as were my hands and it was painful I can tell you. But I could comfort myself that I had saved £50.
Saved, my arse,,,,
Nettle rash cream £2.30
New Jacket £30
New Trousers £25
New Shirt £10
Priceless
