Clonakilty – When Harry Met…

Murph

whenharrymet on October 28, 2024

Harry: Everyone knows you as Murph. What is your full name?

My full name is Michael Thaddeus Murphy. Called after a saint called Thaddeus. I’m not sure why my mother called me Thaddeus, because I never heard anyone else called Thaddeus. For short, she used to call me Teddy.

Harry: Can you tell me about when you were young?

When I was young, I had no sense. We had a field behind the garage (now Whites Texaco), and I had a broken-down bicycle. We made a racetrack in the field and poured buckets of water on it to make it slippery and have races on it. Fellas would be falling off and breaking their wrists and we had great gas. My best past time was cycle racing on the grass track. We would have 5 or 6 in the race, BMX’s, and everything, and we would be flying into the corner, falling down, and there would be a big heap in the corner. I clearly remember that – they were great times. How times have moved on. Life is much more serious today like ya know.

Harry: What sports did you play

I was a great footballer. A star footballer. I was a great corner forward, but they put me playing in the backs and I never enjoyed playing in the backs. I could have played for Cork if I got a chance, but the never recognized my talent!!

Harry: What is your favorite food and drink?

My favorite food is rice and beef curry, and my favorite drink is Murphy’s stout (it’s good no doubt).

Harry: What was your first job?

My first job was working with my dad in the garage. I was a mechanic. I was brushing the floor, cleaning around the petrol pumps, that kind of stuff, and went on from there. I grew up in the garage. When my dad died, my brother got the garage, and there was no room for two chieftains. It was like two lions in the cage. I was 25 years working with my dad, and that was 34 years ago.

Harry: Can you tell me something interesting about cars

I always had cars in my blood. I suppose when you grow up with something, and cars change and develop over the years, it’s fantastic. I’d still love to be in cars today, my heart is in cars. You know when you are attached to something, it never leaves you.

Harry: I have 2 Scottish terriers, Cookie and Max. I remember you had a dog called Jappy. Can you tell me about your dogs.

Jappy was the most fantastic dog. Jappy was my darling dog. He went everywhere with me. He was so affectionate; he was cute and he was courageous. There is a seat up there, and I call it his throne, and that will be there forever more. That was Jappy’s chair, and it was there in the corner, and he would pop in there and jump up on the chair, and go off to sleep. We would give him a bone, or a biscuit or a bit of grub, and he loved it down here. He was part of the staff. He would sit at the door, and people on holidays would come back after a few years and they would be delighted to see him. They loved Jappy. He was a heartthrob boy, I swear to God.

Harry: I hear you have travelled all around the world. Where are your favorite places and why?

There are lots of places I didn’t visit at all yet. But I believe my time is running short. We go to Spain or Portugal mainly every year. I’ve been to Australia once, I’ve been to Seattle, the world is a big place. I’m dead happy where I am. When I retire, I’ll travel a little bit more if the man above spares me, isn’t that right!!

Harry: When you were in Australia, were you in the outback?

We were up Coolgardie first and then in Kalgoorlie, where the second biggest mine in the world is. It is the width of from here to Ballinascarthy, and it spirals down around the edges like a cone. There was a lightning storm there one night, and it would frighten the cats, I swear to God. And it was pure wilderness, and pure darkness. I was over there with Vince Nolan, and the one thing he brought home was the Aussie accent, and he still has it after 15 – 20 years.

Harry: What inspired you to open a Bike Shop, and what do you like about it?

I enjoy meeting people, and it is light work. When my dad passed, I was always interested in bikes, and so we bought this place in 1988. I really enjoy it, and I’ll be honest with you, if you don’t enjoy something, you are better off a thousand miles away from it. It was a butcher shop originally, and the butcher counter ran all along the wall.

Harry: And now for my signature question. What advice would you give to young people today?

My father always said, that when your back is against the wall, there is always another way, and I believe that big time. Never give up hope.

Be happy in yourself and life will take care of you after that. If you are struggling and fighting with life, you will be that way all your life. Enjoy and accept what you have, and you will be grand. You will always get help from people and that is a good thing.

Haulie O’Neill

whenharrymet on October 28, 2024

On Wednesday 20^th April, 2022, I visited Mike ‘Haulie’ O’Neill at his home in Clonakilty. Mike and his wife Marie own the artisan butcher shop MJ O’Neills on Pearse Street. It started as a pub and butcher in 1914, before Mikes father Haulie and his wife Eileen decided to focus on the meat side of the business. In his spare time, Mike has successfully played and managed the Clonakilty senior GAA team, and is also father to Ms. O’Neill in Scoil na mBuachailli. Here is my interview with Haulie.

Harry: What was your favorite toy when you were young?

A model railway train that went around in a circle

Harry: What sports did you play?

I played football, hurling, soccer, and a little bit of basketball and volleyball.

Harry: What is your favorite food and drink?

My favorite food is lamb chops cooked in the oven, and my favorite drink at this stage I suppose is water.

Harry: What do you do in your spare time?

Most people would say I sleep, but I like to run and walk, and be involved in football.

Harry: Who is your favorite football player of all time?

That is a tough question Harry. I’d say Gordon Banks, who was a goalkeeper with the Stoke and England football teams a long time ago. He won the World Cup with England in 1966.

Harry: What is your best sporting memory?

I have two. Imperial Call winning the Gold Cup horse race at Cheltenham, and Clonakilty winning the Cork County championship in 1996.

Harry: When did you become a butcher?

I helped in the shop when I was small, and I became a butcher when I was 19.

Harry: What do you like about being a butcher?

I like meeting people and talking to them.

Harry: Where do you see butchers in 40 years? Will meat be growing on trees?

Absolutely! Ooh – that’s a tough question. I suppose it will be very artisan. There won’t be many craft butchers, where people are willing to pay the price for a quality product.

Harry: What worries you?

At this point in time, the war in Ukraine worries me. Other than that, what worries me, I suppose global warming.

Harry: Is the future for Clonakilty GAA bright?

Yes. Because of the young people involved, and the young talent that is growing up, and the amount of people that are working with and developing the young people.

Harry: This is my last question. It’s my signature question. What advice would you give to people today?

There is nothing achieved in life without working hard, no matter what it is. Unless you win the Lotto. Everybody who got to be anyone, whether a top sports star, top CEO, it was hard work, nothing else. Be it study, be it in school, be it in life, your family, your home, your dog, your horse. Every single thing in life takes work.

Harry: Thank you very much for the interview.

Jerry ‘Chicken George’ Shevlin

whenharrymet on October 22, 2024

On Friday 15^th April, 2022, I visited Gerry Shevlin aka Chicken George at his home in Clonakilty. I brought him some creamy buns and Lucozade as it was his birthday the next day, and I heard they were his favorites.

Transcript

Harry: When did you arrive in Clonakilty?

Jerry: I arrived in Clonakilty about 50 years ago as a teenager. I loved the entertainment, the music, and the street carnivals so much, that I stayed. I love the dancing.

Harry: Where did you get the name Chicken George?

There was a Master of the Bone festival in Cork and I was dressed up with black polish on my face and a carrying a rooster. There was a character in US history called Chicken George, and so the name came from that. I ended up in the garda station, and would you believe the rooster shit all over the garda station.

Harry: What do you work as?

I cut grass and hedges and tidying up gardens. I travel around on my scooter all around the county. I’ve been to Skibbereen, Copeen, Barryroe and more. There is a lady in Barryroe who calls me ‘darling’. She says I look like Clark Gable. I carry all my own equipment. I even carried my wheelbarrow on the back of the bike a few years ago. If I won the Lotto, I’d buy a Mitsubishi car.

Harry: What is your favorite food?

I love creamy buns

Harry: Can you tell me about your love of dancing

I love the dancing. I just concentrate in my own mind, away from people, and dance away. Sometimes I listen to the robins when I am dancing. I won best costume in Dunmanway parade on St. Patrick’s day this year.

Harry: What music do you like?

My favourite music is South American, and I would be dancing to it everywhere I go.

Harry: Do you like to travel? Where have you travelled?

I have travelled to so many places, I am like a bumble bee. I’ve been to Australia twice, Papa New Guinea (which is over 10,000 miles away), New Zealand, Hawaii, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Brazil. I was in Papa New Guinea when a tsunami hit. In Brazil, it was so hot and humid with the monsoon rains. I met tribes from the village, and the music was magic. I take no phone, only my alarm clock when I travel.

Harry: Do you know anyone famous?

I knew Joe Dolan. I have been to lots of his concerts, and he would recognise me from my dancing. I’d have a can of red bull and maybe a cigar and enjoy the dancing.

Harry: What is your favorite food and drink?

A Galtee cheese sandwich on Fields bread. And Red Bull is my favorite drink. I gave up alcohol 15 years ago.

Harry: What advice would you give to people today?

We are living in a world with too much technology, and it puts too much stress on people. It’s like a zombie world. People are heading up to St. Mary’s for their last holiday.

The ice is melting – and pieces the size of Cork city are breaking away from the ice caps.

You need to have eyes as sharp as a hawk – we are living in a dangerous world, and the devil is controlling the planet.

Jack Heddigan

whenharrymet on October 1, 2024

Harry:: Where are you from?

I was born in 1918 in Broadford, Co. Limerick and grew up on a farm in Churchtown in North Cork.

Harry:: What games did you play when you were a boy?

Hurling – everything was about hurling.

Harry:: What was your favorite treat?

We would go to the point-to-point horse racing and a man with a cart would sell a special lollipop. On special occasions we would get the train to Cork.

Harry:: What was your first car?

I bought a Baby Ford 8 horse power in 1938 from Fr. Kelly in Limerick. The registration was IU 3028,

Harry:: What was your job?

I worked in the bank and I was the bank manager in Clonakilty AIB. I also worked in farming when younger.

Harry:: What event do you remember most in history?

The declaration of World War 2 in September 1939. I was working in the bank at the time, and we had to duplicate all documents. There was also food rationing.

Harry:: What is the secret to a long and healthy life?

Be nice, think of others and help them.

Harry:: What advice would you give to your 8 year old self?

To remain farming because I was good at it, but life takes over.