By Sean Collins
In the 1960s, Christmas was heralded by the arrival of the Christmas Annuals at Bateson’s, later Davis in James Street, or Peggy Duffy’s in Peter Street, or the exotically named Madame Le Worthy’s in Shop Street.
A deposit was paid and sixpence a week afterwards and the Beano, Dandy, Jackie, Victor, or Valiant Annual was secured. Alice Reilly kept the record at Davis, Peggy Duffy in Peter Street, and Claire McEvoy in Madame’s. Annuals at 7/6 were compulsive reading at Christmas.
In James Street, you could get your Raleigh bike in Reilly’s where Anne Clarke held the fort. Across the road to Mick Tuite’s for the Turkey hooked on the rails, nothing frozen in plastic bags, fresh only where Frank Smith and Jimmy Reilly had a word for everyone, particularly the kids.
For men, Gene Kavanagh sold the fanciest shirts in town and into John Daly’s next door were John sliced the rashers, and eternally young Joe Moore in his white coat packed the tea keaves, no teabags back then.
Pausing to look in Owen Lochrin’s yellow shop window to see the latest Lego model or one occasion to buy a Corgi James Bond car. If I had it now and if I’d looked after it, it would be worth a fortune.
Across the Bullring to Reynolds emporium, does anyone else remember the arcade style entrance to the shop in the rear for Airfix models and toy soldiers?
Over St. Mary’s Bridge and up Shop Street and calling in to Sheila Harding in O’Hagans for brussels sprouts, a Christmas standard with the roasties. Connolly’s [the real big red shop] and John Collins always had a Christmas selection of tricycles and tractors. Paul O’Brien had to carry them all down from the store in Connolly’s, Brendan Woods did the same in Collins’.
Too big for toys?, then how about a watch from Duffner’s on the corner of Dyer Street.
As you passed up Shop St. it was almost obligatory to look in at the nodding Santa in Dwyer’s window, I discovered recently [see picture] Victor has him hidden upstairs.
Next door was “Kelly’s”, with a real live Santa and Christmas parcels for two shillings a children’s wonderland run by Joe Thomas and his wife Imelda. Later they continued their trade across the road in Power’s old premises.
The Tholsel was the crossroads that contained Schwer’s with it’s toy-filled caverns from Lundy’s Castle in the basement tended by Miss McGee. Airfix, Meccano, and Hornby underground among other delights.
If you wandered up Peter Street, Eddie Leslie’s always had a Christmas selection, and Eustace Paint Shop and Downe’s before them always had a Santa to dispense the parcels.
Woolworth’s in West Street next for what Nanci Griffith once described as unnecessary plastic items. Then a big hello to Margaret Everitt, before we lost her to England and later Meath, she would take the decorations off the ceiling to keep a customer happy, I bore witness when I was six. I wonder does Pat Collins remember that?
A first guitar could be acquired at McAllisters, maybe Kevin will revive that practise. If you walked to Narrow West Street, Brady’s Department Store had a toy selection in place by late November where your money flew through the air in a tube.
Lynch’s and Cummins catered for annuals on the West End of town where John and Malachy Callan lived.
Ah, the Christmas wonderland that was Drogheda!
