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From: "Ted Boyle" <>
Subject: [Irish-American] irish humour/character
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 15:29:59 -0000


It's the time of year for Irish memories.
During my apprenticeship as a carpenter/joiner in the building industry in the early 1930s, I worked with a "Huge" and powerful Irishman by the name of JOE HOWLEY. He was so strong I once saw him push a wheelbarrow laden with 10 bags of cement (half a Ton); 50 yards down a 9 inch plank accross a muddy field.
He would send me to the local shop with "thruppence" to fetch him a packet of the "Wildest" woodbines and a box of matches. On my return he would always take a few matches out of the box and put them in a small pocket inside his jacket, and I remember asking him why he did this; and his reply was:- "well you see Ted, when I run out of matches I always know where to find a light"

He was a "lovely man" I can hear him now, saying :- " Ted me bhoy, if I only knew where I was going to die, I wouldn't go anywhere near the place. "God rest his soul"
Happy St Patricks day to all listers.
Ted.

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