I seem to be on a local history sidetrack. Yesterday en route back from our visit with our friends we met a man crossing the Dundrum by-pass just near the library. He looked familiar, we exchanged pleasantries, and then scurried across the road – the pedestrian crossing green light doesn’t give us oldies much time – when we’re only half way across the green turns to yellow. When we were safe on the other side the man asked me if I had found any more books on Irish history. Ah – you were the man I met at the Taney Church fete last Saturday. You were at the book stall and helped me look for books on local history. Alas I answered his question, only the book by Geraldine Mitchell. He looked blank. Further I added, she wrote Deeds Not Words The Life and Work of Muriel Gahan.
Again that drew a blank and we moved on. We talked about the local history books about Dundrum written by J. (James) Nolan. I told him I had been looking at those books in the library and that my copies were in much better condition. (My copies are in Seattle.) He wondered how I was interested in this topic since I wasn’t native to these parts. People seem to know immediately that I am a foreigner so to speak – and it is the speaking that gives me away. So I explained that we were here in Dundrum over 40 years. Ah he said, a “blow-in”. Now if there’s one term that really irritates me it’s to be called a “blow-in” – it makes me feel very unwelcome. He proceeded to apologize profusely and go on to say that one could be a “blow-in” even if born just a few streets away. Anyway, I digress.
He proceeded to tell me about a relation who had served in the First World War as a member of an ambulance crew and over a period of 2 years had written home regularly, home being Dundrum I was lead to believe. The family has preserved these letters and a book has been written about them. The book is at the printer now and will only be available privately. Alas, an elusive and tantalizing source of local history.
Incidentally I also noticed the book that the man was carrying – Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson, a book about Afghanistan. The conversation could have shifted far across the world if only Ian had not gone on ahead, I felt it was high time I caught up with him before he disappeared altogether and I missed my luncheon date.
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