Searing memories of getting caught up in the Dublin bombings, aged five... For Sunday Miscellany on RTÉ Radio 1, listen to The 17th of May, 1974, by Rachael Hegarty above.
On the 17th of May 1974 my mother, brother and I were in town shopping. I was five. My brother David was three. Our folks had ten kids. Time alone, or nearly alone, with our Ma was a treat. Town was mad busy. It was near half five, Ma told us there was a bus strike and people would have to walk home after work. David sat in his push-chair and I held onto the handle, as per instructions, "Hold on to them bars, mind your brother, while I run in and get me messages". For once we did as we were told, me and the brother were on a mission to get Ma to buy us a jam doughnut each.
Mam bought tea towels and terry cloths from Guineys. Then we all walked up Talbot Street and Ma ducked into the butchers for some more messages. By the time she came out of the shop David and I were singing : "I want a donut with jam in the middle, jam in the middle." Ma just looked at us and said, "Yis are total chancers. What are yis? Scallywags".
We crossed over from Talbot Street to North Earl Street. The cake shop was getting closer. Time was ticking. The brother and me now started whinging for jam doughnuts. Ma smiled, relented and asked " Sure, what harm and youse after helping me with the messages?". We were making our way to the cake shop when there was a very loud bang. The milling of people stopped. Ma looked around, up and down the street. An auld fella looked up at the sky. I'd never seen a man in a suit look at the sky. Then there was another, louder bang...
Listen to more from Sunday Miscellany here.
