Monday 12 February 2007

Abbeyside Goulies

I am sorry for the picture quality but I thought this picture should be included as it shows what was the Senior section of the 4th Waterford Unit, Abbeyside Scout Troop in the early 1980's I think, please correct me if I am wrong. The jumper they are all wearing was the original idea for the 'Water Activities' badge that we use today.
Front Row Left to Right : Kevin Regan, Sean Wall, Benny Wall, Eamonn Franklin, Michael Regan.
Back Row Left to Right : Ben Dee, Paul Cotter (hidden), Derek Lyons (Face hidden), Pat Mc Grath, Tony O'Mahony, Brian Fahey.
Thanks with the help lads good to see it brought back some happy memories for you and put you thinking of those bygone days. On about the fibre glass canoes they lasted a long while and many Scouts learned to paddle in them but that is another story.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

The goulies photo should read, Austin Regan on the extreme left and his brother Michael (Mickey) Regan on the extreme right! Unidentified in the back is Paul Cotter formerly of Murphy Place and now living in England.

Anonymous said...

P.S. The photo was taken at the sea wall by Abbeyside church. I think the group may have been attending a guard of honour for the Bishop of Waterford on a confirmation day! The jumpers they all are wearing was an idea thought up by Ciril O Fearghail at the time in order to identify the group specifically as being a water based activities group(mainly canoeists). Tom Fitzgerald of the former Fitzgeralds Man's shop in Dungarvan supplied the jumpers which were the Tricot Marine brand and they had an "Anchor" on the front as part of their design. This was why they in particular were chosen. Missing from the photo although present on the day would be leaders Poco and Muller and perhaps Ciril himself. I'm not too sure if Ciril was present on the day! Perhaps he was the photographer. I hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

Agree with the previous comments on all counts except I think it's Kevin (Tuff) Regan on the left. Austin was a bit younger than us old fogies,but I could be wrong as the previous commentator has some great detail which I'd forgotten.. Oh yeah, and I'm in the photo beside Micky with my long gone shock of red hair..

Anonymous said...

Eamonn you are dead right as to the identity of "Tuff" Regan. Now I am not too sure if Austin was even in the scouts! Have you any idea?
P.s What has happened to the red hair? Is it gone or just a different colour?

Anonymous said...

I believe Austin followed in his brothers footsteps and wore the Abbeyside neckerchief. As for the hair , you're right, I still have it (for now) but it's a different colour alright, the stresses of modern living and kids of course will do that to you (that’s my excuse anyway). We didn't know how good we had it back in the day..

Anonymous said...

Must say you guys were cool in those Tricot jumpers. I bet you'd pay a pretty penny for one of them now! Does anybody still have one I wonder? Would be nice to frame one and put it up in the cabin in the glen.
Eamonn, you spent a long time away and have come "back home". Any idea where the rest of the lads in the picture are. I saw in the paper last week that Sean Wall is with the Indians in America! Also saw Mickey Regan on TV. I think he was the architect for the new heritage site on the Cliffs of Moher. It was dead impressive.

Anonymous said...

Pat Mcgrath chief executive with MIELE IRELAND,Séan Wall a doctor in Ohio,Brian Fahy computers with Smithkline Dungarvan,Derek Lyons draughts man with Waterford County Council,Tony ó mahony owns a Bike and pram shop in Abbeyside,Kevin Regan Developer,Ben Dee a Planner,Benny Wall a superviser with the EPA in Wexford.All married with KIDS,some of them are in the current Abbeyside troop and Guides.Incidently Brian,Derek and Tony are canoeing around Ireland in MAY/JUNE 2007 that will take about 5 weeks to complete.

Anonymous said...

Hey this is great. Since I first added my comments about where the photo' was taken I seem to have generated a lot of interest in the Goulies! Its great to see that people are still interested in what they did. Incidentally and officially the group were know as the "Gasoga Mara" section. Something in the back of my mind tells me the goulies also had a destinctive neckerchief, but I'm not too sure on this. The name goulies came about accidentally when our chairman Jim Shine was at, I think their first investiture. Jimmy said to the assembley - "what ever you do don't call them the goulies" and guess what, everyone did! Fishing for goulies was a favourite pastime of boys especially in Abbeyside. Goulies were large crabs, and one of the favourite fishing spots was the railway bridge opposite the Friary college which is now part of a lovely walk or at the pond wall when the tide was coming in. In order to catch goulies one needed a long piece of striing. Attached/tied to this string would be perhaps a fatty bit of meat or else one could crack open a shell fish such as a limpet which would attract the crabs and they would come running!! This was a fun way to spend a few hours. Great fun was also had trying to catch these crabs with your hands as they were big fellahs and would give a nasty nip if they caught you. Does any one remember the goulies first canoes? Fibre glass construction and bought somewhere in Carlow I think!

Anonymous said...

Remember the fibre glass canoes! I was in one a few years ago and nearly drowned in St.Mullins in Kilkenny. Tried to do a roll and it all went a bit pear shaped! Kicked my way out of the cockpit. Can also remember one of the scouts on the same day attempting a roll, going under for about a minute and finally emerging with the seat in his hand!
If anyone is planning a lads weekend away and enjoys the water, head to Graignemanagh in Kilkenny. Was there for Denis Slatterys (a scouting legend!)stag weekend and went canadian kayaking down the river. Was sceptical at first but boy was it some experience. Especially when paired with Tomas Walsh, the crazy b@%#$€d! And Fran McGovern chasing you! Nothing like it. It was like a different world! One of the best weekends ever. Only regret was that we didn't camp (stayed in the very comfortable hostel on the river). Yuppies!!!!
Anyway, I'd say there must be those fibre glass babies lying around the den field. I'd doubt if the boys would use them on the round Ireland trip though. Would be nice to have a "goulie/old scouts" welcoming party for the last leg of their journey.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, all the lads have done well, fair dues. But we had to slag Poco off at the 75th re-union, that he had to go to Cork to find a troop to win the Melvin. Tony was telling me about the kayak trip at the 75th, in fact I remember considering his suggestion that I join them, granted it was about 5 in the morning in the Park hotel, you get my drift I'm sure. We didn't get back to each other on that one funnily enough..

Anonymous said...

Talking of Denis Slattery!!! Does anyone remember what Denis's calling card was after every canoeing trip? Socks yes Socks. He always threw one if not both of his socks on to a branch of a tree before departing for home. Graignamanaugh must be the sock capital of the world at this stage!

Anonymous said...

Question.
Why did Denis need to throw his socks away?

Anonymous said...

i hate dat pic its bent ;)

Unknown said...

Has any one got any photos of the old 4 waterford in the 80`s
Chameville the trip to France in the 80`s

Anonymous said...

ffs, goulies were a gang of knobs, real coh was 84 on

Bill O'Donoghue said...

Good times........

any photo's from a few years earlier?

Bill O'Donoghue said...

Good times.......
anyone have photoe from a few years earlier?...

any from Jamborora in Mellary? aughrim