Betty and Bula enjoy joint birthday
ON Saturday night I headed for the Rugby Cub where sisters Betty Mellon from Mountain View and Bula Dollard from Hyde Park were celebrating their 60th and 65th birthdays and a huge crowd were there to make sure she had a fantastic time.
I first met Betty who was with husband Gerry and kids Annmarie, Grace, Peter, Mary and Barry along with grandkids Ciaran, Amy, Kayleigh, Rhys, Ryan, Sean and Emily.
She then introduced me to Bula who was with her kids Tracey, Gerard, Stephen and his wife Carol and grandkids Ciara, Tara, Ellie, Clara, Niall and Daniel and told me not to forget the rest of their brothers and sisters Tommy, Peter, Paul, Angela, Mary, Margaret and Anna.
I then decided to have a look round to see who else was enjoying the party and the first group I met up with were Carol Hutchinson from Muirhevnamor who was with partner Gerard Dollard and their kids Ellie and Clara. When I asked her if it was going to be a quiet celebration she replied ‘don’t be silly’.
Not too far away I then caught up with Danielle Pritchard and Kerrie Farrell both from Blackrock who were there with Frances Kerr from Hyde Park and Karen Kerr from Barrack Street who told me they are all family friends of the two girls and wanted to wish them a very happy birthday.
Seated close by were nice Louise and sister Anna Dollard from Riverwell close who were with Louise’s daughter Jade along with niece Martina Lavery from Knockbridge, sister Margaret Martin from Cluan Enda and granddaughter Ciara Logan from Hyde Park who were all looking well and were ready to make the very best of the joint celebrations.
After this I got a quick word with Michael Farrell and Aine Dollard from Tallanstown who were up for making the best of the night and wanted to wish Betty and Bula all the best.
Seated over in the corner beside the bar I then caught up with Anna Martin from Bay Estate who was with Brian, Jackie and Justine Bellew from Bay Estate who are old friends of both Betty and Bula and Jackie said she was starting to reminisce fondly about the good old days in the rugby club, mixed fortunes on that one for me Jackie!
Making my way to another table I then got talking to Chris and Caroline Hodgers from Castlebellingham who were with Ben and Patricia Lynch from Willow Grove whom, when I asked, were they related to the birthday girls, replied ‘ thanks be to god, no!’
They were having a laugh with Adele Murray from Blackrock, Angela Kerrigan from Medebawn who wanted a big shout out for husband Conor who was at home on babysitting duties for kids Shay, Adam and Freya.
She was with the birthday girls sister Angela McKeown from Willow Grove who wanted to wish them a very happy birthday and to tell them she loves them so much.
After this I got talking to Mairead Dollard from Grange Drive who was there with her dad Peter, uncle Tommy Dollard from Ashling Park, cousins Conor Dollard from Ashbrook and Margaret Dollard from Beechmount Drive and Rachel Connolly from Bay Estate who were up for making a great night of it.
I then headed for a table where I got talking to Susan Rice from Oliver Plunkett Park, Eileen McCabe from Marian Park, Frances McGeough from Barrack Street, Fatima Johnson from Claddagh Park, Christina McCabe from Marian Park and Marie Gorham from Seafield Lawns who told me they all work with Betty in National Pen and were going to have a fantastic night with their co-worker and her family.
Beside them I met Gavin Lyons from Dromiskin who is also a National Pen worker who was with his wife Éilís and their friend Elizabeth FoleyShields from Beechmount Drive who both work with Bula in Little Partners Crèche on the Ramparts and they wanted to wish both girls a very happy birthday.
Meanwhile down on the seats near the dancefloor I met up with brother Peter and Mary Mellon from Dromiskin who were with Noel and Michelle Smyth from Dromiskin who were up for making the best of the party.
Seated beside them I then met up with Mary Halpenny from Walterstown and Jenny Kinch from Point Road who were there with Grace Mellon and Barry Boylan both from Riverside Drive who told me it was going to be a super one for sure.
Finally, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Annmarie Melon from Pinewood Grove who was with daughters Kayleigh and Emily and they were enjoying the company of Shauna and Sophie McGuill from McGuill Travel who wanted to wish Betty and Bula a very happy birthday and hoped they had a fantastic night.