A lesson straight outta Ballaghaderreen
You may have seen the 2002 film Gangs of New York, a tale of naked cruelty, ferocious violence, unforgiveable treachery. Timid, by comparison with the Gangs of Ballaghaderreen.
Growing up in the town, each street had its own gang whose sole purpose was to have the best bonfire on June 23rd every year.
From January to June we collected tyres, in particular, (this was deep in the last millennium/century, before global warming and EU regulations) but everything combustible towards that glorious end.
These were secreted away in places none of the other gangs could possibly find but usually did.
READ MORE
We were the superior and totally honourable Barrack Street Gang or, as my mother used call us, 'the Bash Street Kids' (we used to get the Beano comic in our house).
Against us were ranged two other major gangs; the combined thugs of the New Street Gang (including Main St) and the low gangsters of Pound Street (including Abbey View).
Raids on each other's stores of tyres were frequent, usually facilitated by informers on all sides, and leading to ferocious pitched battles generally involving ash plants/sticks. Bin lids were excellent shields.
Once we spotted a Pound Street gang member up a tree spying on us. We dragged him to a nearby garden, tied him to a stake and rubbed nettles on his legs to try to find out where they kept their tyres.
He wouldn't say. Then we put brambles around him and said we'd light them. He still wouldn't say. Typically noble, we let him go.
Our greatest ignominy was when the Pound Streets took over our bonfire one year. The humiliation! We had been betrayed by one of our own. He sat beside a Pound Street member at school.
We regathered forces and in an almighty assault set about recapturing our own fire. Adults happening on the scene were so appalled by the violence they threatened to call the guards. It made no difference.
Then they said they'd call 'the Brothers'. Enough. Members of all gangs knew that when it came to violence none of us could match 'the Brothers'.
We all downed weapons and went home, black and bruised in our case with a firm purpose of amendment to have foul revenge on those Pound Street low-lifes.
Gang
, from Old English
gang,
for group of men.
inaword@irishtimes.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
A lesson straight outta Ballaghaderreen
You may have seen the 2002 film Gangs of New York, a tale of naked cruelty, ferocious violence, unforgiveable treachery. Timid, by comparison with the Gangs of Ballaghaderreen. Growing up in the town, each street had its own gang whose sole purpose was to have the best bonfire on June 23rd every year. From January to June we collected tyres, in particular, (this was deep in the last millennium/century, before global warming and EU regulations) but everything combustible towards that glorious end. These were secreted away in places none of the other gangs could possibly find but usually did. READ MORE We were the superior and totally honourable Barrack Street Gang or, as my mother used call us, 'the Bash Street Kids' (we used to get the Beano comic in our house). Against us were ranged two other major gangs; the combined thugs of the New Street Gang (including Main St) and the low gangsters of Pound Street (including Abbey View). Raids on each other's stores of tyres were frequent, usually facilitated by informers on all sides, and leading to ferocious pitched battles generally involving ash plants/sticks. Bin lids were excellent shields. Once we spotted a Pound Street gang member up a tree spying on us. We dragged him to a nearby garden, tied him to a stake and rubbed nettles on his legs to try to find out where they kept their tyres. He wouldn't say. Then we put brambles around him and said we'd light them. He still wouldn't say. Typically noble, we let him go. Our greatest ignominy was when the Pound Streets took over our bonfire one year. The humiliation! We had been betrayed by one of our own. He sat beside a Pound Street member at school. We regathered forces and in an almighty assault set about recapturing our own fire. Adults happening on the scene were so appalled by the violence they threatened to call the guards. It made no difference. Then they said they'd call 'the Brothers'. Enough. Members of all gangs knew that when it came to violence none of us could match 'the Brothers'. We all downed weapons and went home, black and bruised in our case with a firm purpose of amendment to have foul revenge on those Pound Street low-lifes. Gang , from Old English gang, for group of men. inaword@
Irish Times
7 hours ago
- Irish Times
Wexford wind farm must pay almost €1m towards legal costs of couple who won noise nuisance case
The operator of a wind farm have been ordered to pay €950,000 by early next month towards the estimated €2.3 million legal costs of a couple who won their legal action over its operations. Mr Justice Oisín Quinn made the order in the High Court on Friday arising from his judgment this month in favour of Raymond Byrne and Lorna Moorhead. The judge ruled the couple were entitled to orders fully shutting down three of the six turbines at the Gibbett Hill Wind Farm near Bunclody, Co Wexford, and to €360,000 damages , including €60,000 aggravated damages, over the turbines' adverse impact on them. ABO Energy Ireland Ltd and ABO Energy O&M Ireland Ltd, operators of the wind farm, along with its owner, Wexwind Ltd, all with a registered address at Cornelscourt, Dublin, indicated they intended to appeal over the orders for full shutdown of the three turbines. The appeal must be filed by early July. READ MORE On Friday, the judge directed the operator to pay out €950,000 within 14 days towards the couple's legal costs. The court previously heard from John Rogers SC, for the couple, that the full costs bill was about €2.3 million. If there is no agreement on the final costs bill, it will go for adjudication before a legal costs adjudicator. The three turbines, which are located about 1km from the couple's home, have been shut down and the damages are expected to be paid shortly. In proceedings initiated seven years ago, the couple claimed the defendants wrongfully caused or permitted noise, vibration and shadow flicker to be emitted from the wind farm. It is claimed this caused, and continues to cause them, stress, anxiety and sleep disturbance, and 'destroyed' the use and enjoyment of their property and devalued it. The defendants had contested the claims, but, last March, on the 11th day of the hearing, they admitted liability in relation to the claims of nuisance and switched off the turbines from 10pm to 7am daily. At the end of the six-week case on April 4th, the defendants apologised for the nuisance and said they would also switch off the turbines from 7am to 11am at weekends and public holidays, pay damages for nuisance to date and into the future and would address shadow flicker. In his judgment, Mr Justice Quinn said the plaintiffs' expert evidence was that the nuisance was 'one of the worst cases of wind farm noise impact' while the defence expert said it was 'an outlier'. The defendants had failed to engage 'in any meaningful way' with the 'genuine and substantive' complaints made by the couple over 12 years since the turbines began operating in 2013, he said. That 'seriously unimpressive' approach represented a threat to the goal of developing wind farms and wind energy here, he said. Addressing wind turbine noise in a substantial way was 'critical' to the future success of wind as a major source of renewable energy.
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Irish Times
Anti-racism and anti-immigration demonstrations held in Dublin city
An anti-racism rally and an anti- immigration demonstration were held in Dublin city on Sunday. O'Connell Bridge was closed for a time on Sunday afternoon as gardaí erected extensive barriers to separate the two crowds. The United Against Racism rally began at the Central Plaza on Dame Street, marching through the city to O'Connell Bridge at about 2pm. Several protesters carried signs saying: 'Blame the Government, not migrants'; and: 'Dublin stands against racism'. They also chanted: 'Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.' READ MORE The anti-immigration protest marched down O'Connell Street and turned left at O'Connell bridge before continuing along the quays. Participants from both sides shouted and gestured towards each other from across the empty space between the barriers created by gardaí. At one point, the anti-racism rally chanted at the anti-immigration group: 'You say protect women, that's a lie' and referenced a photo being carried by one person of MMA fighter Conor McGregor , who lost a civil trial where a Dublin woman accused him of raping her in a Dublin hotel. A mock-up photograph depicts MMA fighter Conor McGregor alongside Russian and US leaders Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Photograph: Collins Photos [ 'I know what happened in that room': the full story of the Conor McGregor case Opens in new window ] The anti-immigration group, which was the larger of the two, was thick with large Tricolour flags. 'Whose streets? Our streets' some sang. Several people were seen wearing 'Make Ireland Great Again' green caps and holding US and Donald Trump banners, and some signs critical of RTÉ. A United Against Racism demonstration on Dame Street, Dublin. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos There was an extensive Garda presence at the location where the two protest groups were due to cross paths. The Garda Mounted Support Unit, the Public Order Unit, and Garda members from outside the Dublin Metropolitan Region were in attendance. – PA
