Our columnist Frank on the legacy of local carnivals and Irish entertainers, the dangers and prevalence of risky driving, how holiday plans going awry can open the door to even better experiences, and a fishy story about a suspected Russian spy
The Ballygar Carnival recently drew to a close, and by all accounts it is going from strength to strength! Huge crowds packed into the East Galway village over the August Bank Holiday weekend, with top acts like Mike Denver and The Tumbling Paddies performing to sell-out audiences.
After an incredible 80 years, there’s no sign of any end in sight! I wonder when (not if) they make the hundred, will they get a cheque from the President?
Anyway, there was a time in my young days that as soon as Ballygar finished, Creggs Carnival started. I remember the 15th of August was the opening date each year.
Over the years, we had some of the biggest names in the Irish showband world, with artists like Larry Cunningham, Sonny Knowles, and Sean Fagan of the Pacific Showband, as well as the legendary Joe Dolan, all appearing on stage in the marquee. And yet to this day the biggest crowd seen in Creggs was the one that gathered to see the girl from Donegal, Bridie Gallagher.
Bridie, from Creeslough, was regarded as Ireland’s first international pop star. She had massive hits with ‘A Mother’s Love’s a Blessing’, ‘The Homes of Donegal’, and the biggest hit of all, ‘The Boys from the County Armagh’ – a record that sold over a quarter of a million copies.
She shot to fame in 1956 with the ‘A Mother’s Love’ song, and across a six-decade-long career Bridie played in London’s Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, and in Carnegie Hall in New York. However, what may not be as universally known is her sell-out appearance in Brennan’s Hall in Creggs (now Jimmy Connelly’s garage).
How she was persuaded to come to Creggs I am not sure, but it is a fact that more than 1500 people turned up to see her – and as it was some time in the late 1950s or very early ‘60s, it was some coup for the village!
Bridie passed away in 2012 after a short illness. If she had lived she would have celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday last, September 7th.
For such a small island, we have had more than our fair share of international music stars – with wee Daniel, Sinead O’Connor, U2 and The Bachelors among many others having wowed audiences across the world. But Bridie Gallagher is right up there with them all, and her place in the history of Creggs, along with Charles Stewart Parnell, is forever assured. Happy birthday Bridie, and thanks for the memories!
Risky driving accelerates road users’ anxiety
In recent years we have found ourselves doing the Galway run on a regular basis. Last Friday morning, we once again headed for the western city, and once again we commented on some of the very high speeds that drivers are travelling and overtaking at.
Normally I would simply park it (terrible pun) and say or do nothing about it, but remarkably, two members of my family mentioned that over the weekend they too had encountered driving that disturbed both of them. One of them was appalled at the high speeds and dangerous overtaking that she witnessed on rural country roads, while the other wondered why every driver on our motorways seems to have to travel at, or above, the maximum speed allowed.
On Sunday, this relative told me that he set his cruise control at 60 miles an hour, and every single car that he encountered passed him out. He wondered why were they all in such a hurry, adding “Why does the RSA not get the message out that people don’t have to slavishly stick to the upper speed limit?”.
Now I am well aware that the ‘slowcoachs’ on our roads and motorways are equally (maybe more) dangerous because they cause hold-ups and frustration and road rage as they toodle along at 40 kms an hour, leading to long tailbacks and short tempers. However there is little doubt that excessive speed is one of the biggest causes of road accidents.
My two family members are more than concerned at what they see when they are travelling – as am I. You don’t have to go too slowly, and at the same time you don’t have to be at the maximum speed allowed either. Drive safely – and remember it’s not all about you; there are other families on the road too.
Less important, but nonetheless worth mentioning, is the fact that you will save on fuel consumption and emissions, and thereby reduce our carbon footprint! But most importantly, you might save lives – including your own.
Making the best of holiday hiccups
I told you last week of the lovely night we (Carol and I) had in the Glasshouse Hotel in Sligo. Well this week the Daily Mail had an article about Rossnowlagh in Donegal, which brought back memories of times staying in less luxurious places – holidays that, while different, were possibly more memorable in other ways.
Many years ago, when our four children were quite small, I got a great deal on an apartment in some part of Bundoran. The ad, in Buy and Sell, assured me that the apartment was ideal for a couple with a young family, and that child safety was paramount. So imagine our surprise when we walked in and saw a spiral staircase that no Olympic athlete would be able to climb up!
As this potential deathtrap happened to be the only access to the bedrooms, there was no discussion of any sort. As the landlord vainly looked for his week’s rent, Carol announced that we were not going to stay there, and so we headed off northwards with four hungry, disappointed children, and with nowhere to stay.
As luck would have it, somewhere past Ballyshannon we saw a sign for an apartment to rent. Thankfully the lovely couple renting it out let us in, and also provided food and teas and coffee for us and the slightly grumpy four children.
We then had one of the best weeks ever; the weather was superb, and Rossnowlagh Beach proved to be a huge hit with adults and children alike. And to really finish off our holiday, our hosts gave our children a present of a beautiful young pup called Shannon, who was a big part of our house for many a year.
When the day came for us to head back home, the spiral staircase was just a minor inconvenience within the overall trip (although it took a while for me to be forgiven for booking the place!).
However, just as we left Rossnowlagh, the back door of the Ascona fell off! We tied it on with a piece of rope, but for Carol it was to be a journey home she never forgot – or maybe never got over – because she had to sit in the back seat with the four children and Shannon, and try to keep the door from falling off!
Rossnowlagh to Creggs is a fair journey, but hanging on to a broken door makes it that bit longer!
The good news is that everything, including the door, made it home. Remarkably, whenever we talk about holidays away with our now grown-up children, they always pinpoint Rossnowlagh as one of the most enjoyable of all.
The reporter on the Daily Mail stayed in the Sandhouse Hotel on the beach and really enjoyed it there; we were in slightly less luxurious surroundings but enjoyed it just as much. It’s really all about how people adapt!
And finally…
We are all familiar with spies. Since the early 1960s, when The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and the legendary James Bond first appeared on our screens, through to today, with characters such as Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) in the Bourne series and Evelyn Salt (Jennifer Lopez) in ‘Salt’, spies have thrilled movie-goers and had thousands of us on the edge of our seats with their daring deeds and exploits.
It seems, however, that when it comes to ‘real life’, the Russians have brought spying to a new level.
In 2019 it was revealed that Norwegian fishermen near Hammerfest had noticed a whale wearing a camera harness. The harness read ‘Equipment of St Petersburg’, leading to speculation that the whale was, in fact, a Russian spy.
Anyway, last week, the poor spy (whale) was found dead in unusual circumstances, and is rumoured to have been shot to death. I am not sure if those rumours are actually true, but I suppose we can definitely say that Hvaldimir (his name) now is the ‘Spy who came in from the cold’!
