Shrewsbury tales recalled as the Manor celebrates 20 years

THIS year marks the 20th anniversary of Shrewsbury Manor, an estate opposite Greenhills school.

How it got the name has come up for discussion from time to time, but the late great local historian Jim Garry in his book on the streets of the town, explains that it comes from a great exodus back in the years of the Second World War.

Some 192 men left Drogheda to work in the Shropshire towns of Shrewsbury and Oswestry.

It was an amazing exodus, Pappy Fox leading them around the town the night before and then heading to Drogheda train station where they all boarded and departed for Dun Laoighre.

A boat trip over the Irish Sea – hazardous in the war years – followed before they arrived in their new homes.

They were taken on by the British Ministry of Defence to work on military bases and each worker was given half a crown.

Their contract was for a year and they lived in Nissen huts, under the command of Paddy Geoghegan from Newfield, who worked to keep the huts clean and tidy, not always an easy task.

Some of those who travelled hadn’t been able to find work for years, others were trained plasterers and bricklayers, but due to the war, found it hard to find employment.

For a lot of the guys it was their first time away from home. They came from all over town, but a lot from down The Glen way on the northside.

Pappy, John and Jem Fox were three to go. Other names, like Matthews, Keegan, Finglas, Owens, Smith and Dyas also departed, with the Waters men from Bredin Street, Heeney from Bredin Street and the Gartlands from Nun’s Walk.

Eddie Smith from Hand Street was just 18 and one of the youngster to travel. He would later head on to Melbourne.

Local man Tom Winters wrote about the ‘Great Exodus’ as he puts it for the Old Drogheda journal.

His research found that the men took on roles with McAlpine and built airfields and they did everything, labourers, clerks, drivers, whatever was needed.

They headed in to the little pubs of Shrewsbury and were termed the ‘ mad paddies’.

After their year was up, many headed back to Ireland, but others stayed, got married and raised families in the locality.

The younger ones enlisted with the British Army and fought in WWII.