The Hogans of Glenart

My poor long suffering wife must be tired of hearing about "Glenart" - my late mother's family home. It was bigger by far than any house which we could ever aspire to and it had a room to suit all those old fashioned words - a drawing room, a sitting room, a scullery, and not one but two pantries - one of which had once been the maid's quarters - an outside loo had a willow pattern toilet pan - by now you have the general idea - I won't labour the point. This house was located on Glenart Avenue in Blackrock and was the home of my aunt - a larger than life, wonderful woman who was the life and soul of every party - and whose hospitality was legendary. My aunt, Una, was a caterer by profession and enjoyed catering so much that in her spare time she still catered. She catered for parties for several well-known people, she iced wedding cakes for the great and the good - and at Christmas time she threw one or two major parties in her own home - usually a children's party and an adults' one as well.

Fadó fadó (I think it was 1999) Sheila and I headed down to Athlone for a few days break. We took the long route, via Nenagh, Ardcroney and Carney. This was my first and only visit to the homestead. As we drove leisurely along, Sheila suddenly pointed to a derelict building and said "I went to school there". I noticed a little pub close to the school (I wouldn't be my father's daughter if I had missed the pub!) so I suggested we stop for a drink. This pub was tiny -- I think it was originally a two room cottage, one the bar and the other the lounge. The furniture in the bar consisted of barrels as tables and barrels with cushions as chairs. For a Saturday afternoon the pub was busy (mind you twelve people and the pub could be classed as overcrowded). Sheila sat on her barrel and immediately lit up a cigarette (I better add that this was before the smoking ban) while we waited for our drinks (scotch and soda for herself). The generally chit-chat in the pub seemed to cease for a while as people tried to listen in to our conversation.