'In the cinema the films came by rail in large metal boxes and changed every 2 days.'

'In the cinema the films came by rail in large metal boxes and changed every 2 days.'

Billy Gallagher remembers the wireless and cinema films that were the main source of entertainment when he was a child.

Billy Gallagher

Trinity College Dublin

1945

This item is protected by original copyright

This content may be downloaded and used (with attribution) for research, teaching or private study. It may not be used for commercial purposes without permission.

Billy Gallagher

Childhood and Early Life

Life Story

Strabane, Co. Tyrone

1940's

In the house Paul (eldest) and myself always shared bed, sisters still in cots and maid had own room. Large brown blankets/cloths were draped over windows to make room dark and make us sleep. Entertainment was the wireless that farted more than spoke but I can remember 'The Billy Cotton Bandshow'; 'Take Your Pick'; 'Dick Barton Special Agent' and my mother listening to 'Max Jaffa' on a Sunday night. In the cinema the films came by rail in large metal boxes and changed every 2 days. On Thursday nights you had the serials: 'Tarzan the Apeman'; 'Tarzan and Jane'; 'Superman' and some chap with a club foot who would shoot you if he got you. There was 'Jungle Girl' who had a habit of falling into a pit of snakes just at the final minutes each Thursday. This ensured your attendance again next week. Similarly of course Superman was assaulted with Krypton and Tarzan didn't see the lion about to take his arse off. The main films were often cowboys (Roy Rogers and Trigger; John Wayne; Gene Autrey and Billy the Kid). Conversation in the school yard often centred around the Thursday serialisation.

Irish Research Council for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)