It has been suggested a mural would look well on the gable of Barlow House in the New Year and there’s no doubt it would but what should it be?
Drogheda has more history than it can handle but there’s only so much looking back we can do…it’s the future, or rather the lack of it, that’s of concern.
Why not put up something in such a prominent site to remind passing drivers of the area’s abandonment by central government and the dire need for a real local authority and city status.
Maybe “Welcome to Drogheda City” beneath our ancient coat of arms and motto: “Deus praesidium, mercatura decus” (God our strength, merchandise our glory).
Unfortunately the problem is there’s not enough merchandise being produced in the area compared to similar sized towns, notably the one at the other end of the county.
You don’t need to be a statistician to realise that as an industrial centre Drogheda is only a shadow of its former self – a drive around the industrial estates will tell you all you need to know.
That’s not to say there are not still many thriving industries but we must face the fact that most of the big employers are long gone and BD is set to join the exodus later this year with the loss of hundreds more jobs.
As Drogheda faces into the New Year we can only hope that the job creation situation will improve, for it must or our city will become little more than a dormitory town.
Drogheda is not a borough with a persecution complex, its people have every right to feel aggrieved at how the country’s biggest town has been treated by the current and previous governments.
They have to look no further than Dundalk to see how unfairly the industrial spoils have been divided out between the two population centres over the past two decades.
Figures obtained through a Parliamentary Question by local Labour TD Ged Nash clearly shows that Drogheda is badly losing out when it comes to IDA investment.
The statistics showed that Dundalk has 24 IDA-backed industries which led to up to 3,500 jobs while Drogheda received just nine such industries employing less than 950 people.
And it gets worse because when the figures are further examined they show that most of these nine firms, it’ll be eight when BD goes, employ less than fifty workers.
The irony. Dundalk got the jobs that should have gone to Drogheda and we got the M1 toll that should have gone to Dundalk. That’s Irish for ya.
It’s not all bad news there is some IDA investment around Drogheda but it’s not nearly enough to replace the jobs being lost.
It is also hypocritical of the Government to be bleating about reducing carbon emissions when its policies are forcing workers to commute to work because there’s no local jobs.
TThis country has a minister for equality so we can only hope that Drogheda is treated more equitably in the New Year when it comes to IDA investment because that wasn’t the case in the past.
When the Music Moved
That old Buggles song claimed Video Killed the Radio Star but it appears that Netflix and Amazon Prime are doing the same to the local live music scene.
There was a time when bands played many bars in and around the town, even on weeknights, but it seems home entertainment, and the cost of living, has put an end to all that.
I spoke to a singer during the week who said it’s near impossible to get gigs which is a pity because there are still some great bands around.
I was lucky enough to see The Unit, Custer’s Last Band and the Beggar Boys in Sarsfields recently while the Baz Leahy Experience who play there on the first Monday of each month are not to be missed.
I’m spoiled for choice on my local strip as Sarsfields, McHugh’s, Barney Macs and Nolan’s all host live music.
Did we ever think we’d see the day when there’s more live entertainment on the Cord Road than there is on West Street. Sign of the times, as Prince might say.
Lock In Memories
One of the local Festive Season traditions that has (sadly) died away is the great Christmas Day lock-in which was fairly common in some local pubs.
It was not that unusual for some bars to secretly open on Christmas morning when men would go for a few pints before their dinner while the women slaved at home cooking. No equality in those days.
I admit I availed of this illicit carry on myself back in the day when I frequented a Northside bar which will remain nameless.
Indeed I was in the same bar one Good Friday when it was raided by gardai but by the time the posse gained access the punters had been ushered upstairs to the children’s bedrooms while others climbed out a window onto a flat roof.
I’ll never forget the look of surprise on a bemused little boy’s face when he awoke in his bed to find up to 40 well-sozzled men and a few equally-inebriated ladies packed into his bedroom.
Uncontrolled laughs almost gave the game away but the cops left despite the bar being filled with smoke and the boozing resumed. Happy days.
Farewell Maggie
Newfield on Drogheda’s Northside lost one of its greatest and much-loved characters with the passing of Maggie Coyle last week aged 91.
Maggie was well known around the town and was out and about until she took ill a few weeks ago and I’d often bump into her on West Street while she waited for the bus.
She was as bright as a button and would always have something to say about my columns in the Mirror.
I’ve known her since I lived in Newfield in the early 1980s and remember Maggie and her late husband, Willie being great neighbours, especially to my brother Joe and his wife, Ailish. May the Good Lord rest her.
