'We used dodge about the garden with no apparent purpose in mind'

'We used dodge about the garden with no apparent purpose in mind'

Billy Gallagher describes the antics he and his friends got up to whilst outside playing - in particular he discusses the importance of bicycles.

Billy Gallagher

Trinity College Dublin

1945

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Billy Gallagher

Childhood and Early Life

Life Story

Strabane, Co. Tyrone

1940's

We used all have bicycles and did trips to 'Moorlough' (a lake up in the hills about 8 miles away) or to Baronscourt Desmene. That was the home of The Duke of Abercorn and he had an enormous wooded estate (perhaps 4000 acres) and a very elaborate garden. We used dodge about the garden with no apparent purpose in mind. We had a problem gaining access to same and could only be sure of entry if we had Mervyn Reid in his boy scout uniform with us (i.e. A Protestant). The gate keeper didn't take kindly to a bunch of boys from the town unless someone responsible was with us. Mervyn was younger than us and we didn't particularly like him.

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

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)