In the era of rotating shift

work in the factories, it was

not uncommon to see the

letter box lever wrapped in

a tea towel, usually in red.

On our terrace of 40 houses

there was always someone

sleeping during the day.


Two of my most outstanding

memories of unwelcome

callers at 31 C.S.P. Mallow

in County Cork, are not due

to waking my father who was

a night worker during the sugar

beet harvest at the local factory.


One was when a representative

from a Jewish company in Cork

city called Cohen and Sloane came

by offering cheap terms on products.

The never never it was known as

and the salespeople were Tallymen.

My mother got the poker from the

coal range and told them that she

would never let a Jew darken her

door and to clear off before she’d

set the dog on him.


Another time there was a group

of well dressed women in tweed

and brogue shoes with a box and

red artificial flowers with a black

centre and long stems in wire.

They were expecting to get money

for English soldiers who fought

against Germany. By God did she

send them packing and told them

that if they called to my Uncle Dan's

farm that he’d aim the shot gun.


Little did any of them people know.

but my mother thought the greatest

tragedy of WW1 and WW2 was that

Germany lost and perhaps not many

of my readers are aware that Ireland

was neutral in both World Wars. And

sure if you think about it, why should

we do anything to help the English

after all they did in Ireland to the Irish.

Mothers are always right I’d be for sayin.