Blackrock

[grammer]

Love it !!!!!

[Rocker]

Few things happening in Blackrock
In the Park the bandstand is being refurbished.
On the main street there is a new sitting area outside the Bank of Ireland. At the moment the "Christmas" tree is up awaiting decoration.
Santa came to the Shopping centre yesterday at 2pm....such excitement...he is set up in a little house on the street level of the centre....a bit of a windy wait yesterday ....
Dubray bookshop is still surviving...the best read staff in Ireland with vast knowledge of what is on the shelf.
Alas, Superquinn since it became SuperValue is not the same......

[Rocker]

Ha Strum...I see what you are up to the bold word Xmas is being altered to not yet.

[Toss]

Christ, Ma's pudding must be nearing maturity

[Helium]

Few things happening in Blackrock
In the Park the bandstand is being refurbished.
On the main street there is a new sitting area outside the Bank of Ireland. At the moment the "(NOT YET!)" tree is up awaiting decoration.
Santa came to the Shopping centre yesterday at 2pm....such excitement...he is set up in a little house on the street level of the centre....a bit of a windy wait yesterday ....
Dubray bookshop is still surviving...the best read staff in Ireland with vast knowledge of what is on the shelf.
Alas, Superquinn since it became SuperValue is not the same......

I agree about Superquinn it is sadly missed in Blackrock and elsewhere. I wish they would not have the big guy in the red suit anywhere until the 1st of December each year and the NOT YET trees etc. should be banned until the same date. Oh Dear I am beginning to sound like our revered administrator and the grumpy old guy who seems to have returned from somewhere !

[Strum]

Ha Strum...I see what you are up to the bold word Xmas is being altered to not yet.

Haha you sussed it.

[Strum]

I wish they would not have the big guy in the red suit anywhere until the 1st of December each year and the NOT YET trees etc. should be banned until the same date. Oh Dear I am beginning to sound like our revered administrator and the grumpy old guy who seems to have returned from somewhere !

YES! A convert!

[keeper]

Gosh !! All this talk of the impending celebration of flying Reindeer with rotund pilot gaily slipping into people's homes without a warrant and expecting food and drink has just made me realise it's only 117 day to ST.PATRICK'S DAY Yayyay

[Strum]

Happy New Year Keeper!

[keeper]

And you too Strum nothing like getting things done early

[Rocker]

I love when I come across unusual stuff.

There I was this morning looking at the Blackrock Parish Registers when I came across an entry...not your usual Blackrock name

Maria Mathilde de Burgraff born 19th May 1855 to Frederich and Charlotte at Newtown park. The father was noted as the Consul of France.

Little bit about Frederich
http://gw.geneanet.org/pierfit?lang=en& ... +burggraff

[Sinead]

You are some 'ferriter' Rocker. Good research.

Sinéad

[Rocker]

You are some 'ferriter' Rocker. Good research.

Sinéad

I love snooping. Imagine there was a French consul here in 1855.

[Rocker]

Blackrock & Booterstown LDF - 02a.jpg (213.24 KiB) Viewed 3554 times

By kind permission of the family of the late Eddie Kelly of McCabe’s Villas I have been able scan this photo.
It shows the Blackrock&Booterstown Branch of the Local Defence Force ( L.D.F) during “The Emergency” (1939-45).
Unsure of the exact date or location but it could be in Willow Park grounds where a lot of drilling took place.

[Micheál]

Great photo Rocker

'Twould be great to add name.

M.

[Rocker]

Great photo Rocker

'Twould be great to add name.

M.

Oh if only. Nothing on the back of photo. Nothing anywhere to indicate date . but, I do know the men were from Blackrock and Booterstown. They did all the local "Dad's army" duty during the war.

[Denis Cromie]

Great photo,like Micheál it would be great to see the names. I'm sure I'd know many of the families.

[Rocker]

I am a fan of Wetherspoons since they opened in Blackrock but, am hearing great reports about Flash Harrys on the Back Road opposite Wetherspoons. It is an Eddie Rockets franchise but is crowded all the time and the customers look happy. Rather a young crowd but, if we go we will average out the age profile

[Rocker]

This Sunday, 24th April, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council will officially open a 1916 Commemorative Garden in;

Blackrock Park @ 12pm - Near Phoenix Terrace

An Cathaoirleach will open this unique park while members of the Defence Forces will raise the flag and read the proclamation. Music will be played by harpist Emer Kenny.

[Rocker]

Well at last the Bandstand is redecorated and looking wonderful. The Council has replaced a lot of the seating around the bandstand and it was so good to see the crowds sitting on the seats yesterday chatting in the glorious sunshine. I couldn't help thinking about the good old days when we children played around while our mothers knitted and chatted on similar seats. Every jumper we wore was knitted at the bandstand.

[Rocker]

There is a house for sale on Avoca Avenue and in the sale blurb the owner is recalling sheep being grazed on the "smoothing Iron". Well in all my life I never remember sheep there.

[Strum]

What's the smoothing Iron Rocker? A field?

[Rocker]

Yes Strum it was a small field in the shape of an iron(for clothes!!) it had a railings around it. As far as I know it is still there. Avoca Avenue is a very nice part of the town with old houses with a bit of land. The walls of Carysfort Convent ran along side it. I couldn't imagine sheep grazing there but maybe in the 20's they did.

[Strum]

I was curious to see this Iron shape Rocker. Is this it?

[Rocker]

Here is the smoothing iron on the old 25 map

http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,721155,729571,11,9

it is plot of land .295 opposite the three houses on Avoca Terrace.