Category: Personal Stories

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Personal Stories

Edward Maxwell’s Story

At the time of the bombing I was living at 28 St Aidan’s Park.  On 31/5/41 I remember playing football most of the day. As a result I was exhausted and slept throughout the entire bombing.  My brother, myself, and two pals were the only ones to miss all the excitement. The next morning we heard all the stories of what happened. My older brothers and sisters heard noise and opened the front door and my sister was blown the length of the hall to the kitchen door. Some of my neighbours were members of the A.R.P. and were very busy for the next few days. It was a few days later when we realised how serious the bombing had been.  I also remember the bombings on the South Circular Road. My father had a shop at Leonard’s Corner and all the glass was smashed. One house was opposite the synagogue. Nobody was seriously injured. The owner of the house was a rabbi named Raite.

Editor’s Note: Memories written at Fighting Words Writing Workshop on North Strand Bombing at Casino Forum Group, Marino, Dublin 3 on 17 June 2011

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Personal Stories

Ann Canning’s Story

I lived at the time at 14 O’Neachtain Rd, Drumcondra.  I was in love with a gorgeous fellow who lived in Killarney Street. I was mad about him. I was very worried about him because I felt sure he was killed or injured. I did not know at that time how to inquire about and even if I did know I didn’t know how if you know what I mean. I heard the noise of the bomb falling. I was 21. I was born in 1921 and at that young age you don’t worry about things. We were not in O’Neachtain Road then. We lived near the corner of Richmond Rd and Drumcondra Rd near a chemist shop. I think it is a plant and flower shop now. I worked off Grafton Street in Andrew’s Lane.  I was a tailoress. The bombing did not keep me from work. I knew the butcher whose shop was bombed. His name was Mr Savage. He had eight children. His head was blown off. I knew his daughter very well. My father was a member of the A.R.P. He went out at night doing duty during the Emergency. The initials stood for Airwave Raid Precautions. They wore a special hat. I never went down to the North Strand to see the bomb scene. I just heard reports of it. We were young then. Mr Savage’s shop was on the main road near the Five Lamps. They had a flat over the shop as well as the house on Richmond Road so he was either in the flat or the shop at the time. When I saw the picture of Richmond Cottages I remember the O’Connell school boys in their red blazers and little red caps to match.

Editor’s Note: Memories written at Fighting Words Writing Workshop on North Strand Bombing at Casino Forum Group, Marino, Dublin 3 on 17 June 2011

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Personal Stories

Mary Dunne’s Story

On the night of the bombing I was awakened by the sound of Anti-Aircraft guns firing on a lone German bomber.  I did not hear the first two bombs that fell at North Circular Road and Richmond Cottages, but everyone in the area certainly heard the enormous explosion of the land mine that rocked the whole area around the Royal Canal.  I was thrown out of my bed by the force.  My brother, who slept in the same bed, slept through all the noise and was quite annoyed when I woke him.
Larry Halpin, who was coming home late that night, was blown through our hall door.  Both he and the door landed at the foot of our stairs.  After the initial shock most of our family came out to see the damage.  All the roofs in Clonmore Terrace were very badly damaged.  Many ceilings were damaged and fell down.  Dozens of windows were smashed.  I remember seeing dozens of dead cats with no apparent wounds lying about.  Next morning I went to Coláiste Mhuire in Parnell Square where we were to have a final

pep talk on the Leaving Cert which was to start on Monday morning.  I was treated as a hero and cheered as many, knowing that I lived in the Royal Canal area, feared that I might be among the dead.

It was a great tragedy when one considers the number of deaths that occurred.  Many houses were completely destroyed and survivors were housed in West Cabra.

Editor’s Note: The above account is reproduced with the kind permission of Fr. Brian Lawless, St. Agatha’s Church, North William Street.

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Personal Stories

Sister Martha O’Connor’s Story

When I was accepted into the Community of Daughters of Charity in 1941, I was asked to Postulate in St Vincent’s, North William Street, Dublin. I remember arriving there and being welcomed by all the Sisters. There were more than twenty Sisters in the Community at that time. I shared a bedroom with Sr Marie Walsh – a room next to the Children’s Dormitory.

One night, when Sr Marie and I had settled down to sleep, we suddenly heard a most desperate loud noise and a terrible bang. My bed began to rock and I began to tremble, as the shrieking and whistling sound continued. All the windows were shattered and broken. Both of us jumped out of our beds, the floor seemed to be moving or shaking under us. Glass, gravel, dirt and dust were blowing into the room on top of us. I thought the house was falling down. This was the night when the Bomb fell on the North Strand.

Continue reading “Sister Martha O’Connor’s Story”
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Personal Stories

Video Interview with Seamus Stephenson

Video interview with Seamus Stephenson, who was 6 at the time of the bombing and living with his  family in a three room cottage a short distance from bomb. He recalls the destruction the bombing caused in North Strand area, and to the family home. Video reproduced with kind permission of Rachel Evans, Director (3rd year, Media Arts, DIT).