Old Fire Station - 9 Georges Place

[Rocker]

Navanman,

I was just thinking about this. When we were kids there were lots of jobs for caretakers...lots of big buildings employed a man to do everything clean it, do the odd jobs and secure it...alarms not being invented. He would have living quarters for his family. When I started in the job there was a man and his family living at the top of the O'Connell Street offices and another family living in the basement of Connolly Station..keeping everything going.
On the railways such jobs were handed on through families and were well respected I'd say it was the same in the Fire Station.

[Strum]

Yep Rocker. Wasn't there a family lived in the House at the Gate and took care of the Peoples Park?
Also the people you met in the Club reside there and look after all the maintenance etc.

[skins]

I went to Glasthule School with a girl called Patricia Nolan, who lived in that gate-house with her family, her Da was the head park keeper.

[Sinead]

Skins, I can now tell how old you are! Pat Nolan is alive and well and
living in Ballybrack. I was with her yesterday.
I know the Fire Chief lived in Dun Laoghaire Fire Station, the last
family I remember there was Whelan.

Sinéad

[Harjoe]

The Fire Station was my play ground where we played football and cricket and I can remember men like Mr Martin, from Kelly Avenue, Mr Kennedy from Northcoat Ave Mr Whelan was station master.

[grammer]

I remember Mr Martin -Harjoe - a big fit man with black hair and a moustach -a gentleman
Shea Thomas from Pearse Pk. Sallynoggin was also a fireman-he was well known as a cyclist always took part in the around the Boro Festival
we used to sit up on the wall at Somerton Lodge and look out for him and cheer him on v
our day was made if he would give us a wave.

[Jemser]

Yes Grammer, I remember Shay Thomas, he was a fit looking man and was always cycling, but I think he died at a fairly young age with a heart attack. I know at the time we were very surprised, it was quite a shock.

[Denis Cromie]

Yeah remember some of them names, Mr. Kennedy lived at the end of Cross Ave,locally known as The Little World,his son Eamonn was the Bank Manager in TSB Greystones and is now manager in the Bray office,terrific guy. Bertie Nolan worked in the Post Office and lived in the Park House in his childhood another fine person.

[skins]

Skins, I can now tell how old you are! Pat Nolan is alive and well and
living in Ballybrack. I was with her yesterday.
I know the Fire Chief lived in Dun Laoghaire Fire Station, the last
family I remember there was Whelan.

Sinéad

Yes, Sinéad, Queen Victoria always remembered to send me a card on my birthday. Good to hear that Patricia is alive and well; I wonder if she remembers me chasing her round the Park back in the day? She'll probably tell you that there were so many chasing her she can't recall any individual suitors.

[macrubicon]

There is a photo of the fire station in my photos page 9 of the fire engines before going to Belfast to help during the war

Hi folks - Would anyone know if there was a better copy of the above picture anywhere? My Grandfather was one of the men who went up on that trip.

[Strum]

Welcome to the site Mac. I don't know if there's a clearer photo and it's too blurred to fix in photoshop but I'll give it a go anyway.

[Rocker]

Welcome to the site Macrubicon. Harjoe published that photo in his photos...maybe he has a better copy. Go to Harjoes photos thread ...use the search up in the top right corner.........or send a PM to Harjoe.

[JENNY WREN]

tom martin was my father in law a wonderful man .

[Sinead]

Hi MacRubicon, good to meet you, do share your stories with us.
You should contact the Fire Station on Kill Avenue and ask if they
have a photo gallery, I am sure they will have a clear photo.
Failing that the Irish Times may have one in their archive.
That is if Strum can't improve our one for you.

Sinéad

[Strum]

No it's too grainy. If Harjoe has the original newspaper clipping I could make it clearer.

[Rocker]

tom martin was my father in law a wonderful man .

Jenny Wren so good to see your avatar. We missed you here.

[Navanman]

Jenny
Tom Martin and his father (also Tom Martin) worked there.

Was'nt Tom Martin (jnr.) the fire chief when the British Ambassador was murdered.

I remember a Nicolas O'Brien (lived in the houses beside the Top Hat) and a John Moore.


NM

[murphs]

I do know that there are some old photo's in the new Fire Station on Kill Avenue.
Might be worth taking a trip there.
There are not too many of the old Dun Laoghaire lads left.
Most of them there now have come in from Dublin Fire Brigade who now run the show all over Dublin

[bugrock]

My brother in law was based at the station, He was on the church fire. Must see if I can get something there. He's in Trim now.

[Sputnik]

Wasn't Number 10 the Weights and Measures Office? I seem to remember being sent down there by Florrie Dalton to have her weights checked/calibrated.
Jimmy Dunphy was another fireman, and Tommy Lawlor. Jimmy Kelly was the mechanic out the back. He used to fix everyting for us.

Also, speaking of Caretakers. The Coyle family lilved and caretook Johnny Carr's Park.
My Da was the caretake in Seapoint but we didn't get to live in the Tower

[Rocker]

Not to be left out...there was one Rocker I know of ...one of the Furlongs was a fireman in that Station.

[Damo85]

My grand father was Tom Martin, his father was the Chief during the Bombing of Belfast as far as I know, from what I heard from my father he drove his engine to belfast with a Tri colour flying from the back of it. My brother has one of my Grandfathers hats and my father has his grandfathers hat. My uncle also went on to be in the fire brigade and hopefully if I have a son he will go on to be a fire man.

[Rocker]

Gosh what a great family tradition Damo. The Fire service is blessed to have such a dedicated family in their ranks.I hope you are all keeping diaries and when Gulliver gets his Annals of Dún Laoghaire up and running your family will be able to write the history of the service.

[Sinead]

Damo85: What a great tradition you have in your family,
particularly in such a dangerous vocation.

Sinéad

[macrubicon]

Sorry for the late reply folks - thanks for your efforts in touching up the picture and I will get in touch with Harjoes!