COILL DUBH 1970-2013

Coill Dubh 1970-2013

Those are the years I am living in Coill Dubh, and how this came about is I had come home from England with my wife Mary and two of our children, Neil and Ann. We were in a rented house in Prosperous when I heard there was a vacent house in Coill Dubh as there was a couple of ESB workers living in Coill Dubh. I applied to the late Mr Mulveis, Bord Na Mona, for a house which I eventually got, no. 156. I moved in on 8th December 1970 with Mary and the two kids. We had just moved in when there was a knock on the door and standing there was this giant of a man, who introduced himself as Mick Gantley, (Galway) no. 157. I think he thought we were English as he heard we had come from England. He said he wanted to show us how to work the range; light it and clean it. My two kids were amazed at this big man on his knees going through all the motions that we were to follow. He then had a cup of tea and left us. Coill Dubh was not new to Mary as she had lived here for years in no. 97 with her father and stepmother. Her father was a ganger in BNM (Con Burke RIP).
After we had settled in we began to know who lived on our row.
No. 151: The late Paddy Farrell.
No. 152: The late Jim Wyse and family.
No. 153: Paddy Lyons and family, who later moved to Kilmeague.
No. 154: Sean Haniffy and family, who later moved to Newbridge.
No. 155: The late Jim Gorman (Galway) and family.
No. 156: Ourselves, the McCormacks.
No. 157: The late Mike Gantley.
No. 158: The late Eugene Magarahan (Janey) and family.
No. 159: Iggy Kane and family.
No. 160: The late Bill Hunt and wife.
I knew quite a few people in Coill Dubh, as I had worked in BNM as a fitters helper for 10 years. What I really liked about Coill Dubh was everyone was so friendly. On a Sunday morning, the crowds walking to 10 o clock Mass were hugh. (Big changes since then). All the events of the week were discussed, and the local pub, Dags Welds, was another venue for all the news. Everything was sorted in Dags. What I liked also there was no class distinction in BNM. We all drank and chatted together. I loved the crack and coming home to 156 Coill Dubh was a bonus. When my time comes and I get to heaven, I hope there is a Coill Dubh Village there and no. 156 is vacant for me.
Thank you Coill Dubh.
Mike McCormack and family
P.S. Although my family have flown the nest, they still talk about their happy childhood growing up in Coill Dubh.

Mike McCormack and his family have lived in Coill Dubh from 1970-2013. He recalls those years. Our thanks to Mike