London reunion unites many old local friends

AT the London night, we talked to literally dozens of people, some of them in the city for up to 40 years and others who have been here only a year but all had a common bond - they were all anxious to keep in touch with home.

One of the first people we met was Paddy Murphy, brother of Ald. Tommy Murphy, Pearse Park, and Paddy’s wife Susan who have been in London for 30 years... we met Bill and Marion Tyndall of Beamore Road who flew over to meet their sons Alan and Paul ... we met Kilkenny woman Irma O’Keeffe and Enda Byrne of Mornington, son of John and Kathleen of Drogheda Town Centre Hardware ... John McGovern of the Town Centre was also there with his wife Marie and son Kieran.

We got a huge hello from Tommy Carroll of Trinity Gardens, and from his sister Kathleen Kellegher who was there with her husband Noel (they tell me that they and their nine children are very happy living at King’s Cross);.. we met Ellen Penn of Brockley, a sister-in-law of Frank Mulryne,. formerly Railwaj Tce. ... Believe it or not but Jim Quinn who lived at Edmonton, London, was the first manager of the Old Gate Cinema. Jim was there with his wife Irene.

Mid-Louth was well represented at the function and Marian Mulroy (formerly Bannon) of Annagassan, and her husband Bernard of Finsbury Park sent special greetings ... from Ballsgrove, Barry Breen, Raymond Breen, Ailish and Tommy are looking fine ... The Byrne family, formerly Windmill Road were well represented at the function.

John J. (Joe) Byrne, who once played with the Magdalenes, Larks, and Oliver Plunketts GFC (son of ‘Son’ Byrne) who has been in London 30 years was there with daughters Theresa and May and grand-daughters Anna and Sheila (Joe is a brother of Drogheda taxi driver Frank).

Joe’s wife Bernie (Reilly) Pitcher Hill was also there ... Who could forget fatnous Meath All-Ireland player Seamus Heery from Collon — we met their daughter Susan and Adrian Quaile, Termonfeckin ... Gerry Clinton, Termonfeckin and Una Kenny, with Eugene Verdon, Clogherhead and Maureen Gallagher, Lurgan.

Alzer Mulryne, nephew of Frank was there with Sharon Tuite, North Road ... Pat and Sheila Markey, who hail from Sheephouse, Platin and daughter Miriam Adams ... Bernadette Flynn, sister of former Mayor of Drogheda Peter Hughes, has been living at Southgate, London for 24 years ... Nancy McDonald, Millmount, sister of famous handballers Terry and Hughie has been in London 23 years (Marie Bedford of Cherrybrook sent her two tickets for the function) and her sister Ria and Nancy’s son Patrick were there.

Jim Rogers, formerly Mill Row Trinity Street, has been in London 42 years.. Sean Hoey, Patrick St., who has been there 38 years, was ‘ leaving Donaghy’s factory when Michael Bell was coming into it” and sends greetings to his friend Jim “Swaddie” Beirth ... Danny McEvoy, Moran Tce., is in London 33 years and gets his Drogheda Independent in Mandy’s of Willesden .... Mattie McKenna, born in Mell andAlicia Winters of Monasterboice were spotted, as were Seanie Brady... John Caffrey and Ian Farrelly, Ballsgrove, and Patrick O’Neill who lives in West Kensington and was there with Dundalk bórn Susan.

Rose Lynch.. Paddy Everitt has been in London 21 years were there and the D.I. was asked to send special love to Dermot and Peg Kilroy and their sons Gerard and David of Hand Street from daughters Ann and Brenda who live in Hornsey, London.

We met a very interesting man in Peter Mullen, who became a Freeman of London five days before Maggie Thatcher — he is in charge of contract work on some of the major bridges in London. His mother was a Flanagan from Bolton St., and his father was from Sheephouse, his aunts are Eileen Gavin, Halpin Tce., and Josie Collins. St. Mary’s Cottages—Flanagan Tce. was called after his uncle Tim — he is a first cousin of the Kealy family in Trinity Gardens and a cousin named Cooney once owned the Poet’s Rest pub in Slane.

The former Sheila O’Brien, Pearse Park, and daughter Marie met us at the train station on the way to the function —Sheila has been buying Tlie Drogheda Independent in London for 24 years ..... Catherine Murray, daughter of Oliver and Mary of Cherrymount was there as were

Fergal Bell, Brookville, Thomas Bell, Oliver Plunkett and son Stephen.