Christy Tierney and his long wait for a Matthews suite!

A GREAT story from 40 years ago - and a simple question, do the Tierney clan from The Twenties still have the threepiece suite?

In January 1978, office clerk Christy Tierney headed out to Dunleer for the annual winter sale at Matthews of Dunleer.

Christy had his eye on a Mayfair dralon embossed three-piece suite for £150. To buy the suite—reduced from £450, Christy sat outside the front door of the shop on a deck chair, in the bitter cold, for 20 hours.

The suite was the prize bargain in the sale, with 30 or 40 more other people with their eyes on it. “The ‘phone was ringing all day with people making enquiries about it” shop proprietor, Mr. Thomas Matthews said. He thought the fairest thing was to let it be bought on a first come first served basis.

Christy made sure that he’d be in ahead of allcomers, taking up his position outside the front door at 1.30 p.m. on the Tuesday. Wrapped in a sleeping bag, an anorak and wearing heavy boots, he came prepared for his long wait with “ample supplies of tea and sandwiches” and a radio to keep him company. No iPhone 7 and the only tablet available was a Disprin!

Shop staff tried to make his vigil as comfortable as possible supplying him with cups of tea and putting a sheet of cellophane across the gate to block off the cold wind from him. Christy duly got his suite and how long did it last?