The Waterford Blaa goes international

Resulting from an incredible gesture made by Hickey’s bakery on Barrack Street, the humble blaa has this year reached foreign shores, allowing a Waterford man now living in the UK to relive his childhood.

89-year-old Richard Everett from Manchester grew up in Henrietta Street in Waterford City in the 1940s. In conversation with Richard, he discussed his fond memories of his youth in the city.

He recollected walks from the city to Tramore, newsboys crying the local news at the Car Stand, days spent playing along the river Suir, money ball sweets, hurling on the streets and even a German plane crash over Tramore.

He told stories of mischief with his friends from when he was a child, such as sneaking onto a ship on the quay that was ready to be scrapped, and waiting in the boiler room to not get caught. He said that when he poked his head out to check if he could leave, the tide had gone down and he had to wait for hours on the ship.

Good times, when people made do with what they had, Richard explained.

“It was poor days, but it was so happy,” he said.

“They were the happiest days of my life and I can’t remember any bad times. We had nothing, but we were happy.” 

In 1945, at age nine, Richard moved to Manchester with his parents.

“The war was just about over,” he said, “and I was glad to be going to England. But when I got there the Irish weren’t treated very well at the time. That has all changed and things are a lot better now.” 

His parents would eventually move back to the South East, settling in Mooncoin.

Richard would continue to visit his childhood home in Waterford countless times throughout his life. Eventually he would do so with his own children.

‘Waterford people look after their own’ 

This year, to celebrate Richard’s 89th birthday, his daughter Belinda brought a piece of Waterford directly to her father in Manchester.

She said: “The fresh air of Waterford meant a lot to us because we grew up in Manchester. When we visited Waterford our grandmother used to take us into the city to go shopping and we always went to get blaas. It was happy childhood memories for us.

“So recently, there was a question on The Chase gameshow, which was ‘What is the Waterford blaa?’ and I said to my husband ‘I hope my dad is watching!’ 

“The next thing I know, my dad is ringing me saying, ‘Oh my God they’re talking about blaas, I haven’t had one for years!” 

Belinda got in touch with Brian Hickey, of Hickey’s Bakery, to ask about the possibility of sending blaas across the Irish sea.

“I explained to Brian Hickey that my dad is coming up to 89 years of age and that he always mentions the blaa, is there any way we can get them to him?” Belinda said.

Brian wanted to oblige, however, delivery would prove to be difficult and costly, as Belinda says: “I told dad I was trying to get him blaas, but I said ‘don’t hold your breath dad because it’s proving a bit more difficult than I had imagined’."

Hickeys found a solution, doing their best to maintain whatever freshness they could by triple wrapping 18 blaas and sending them directly to Manchester, free of charge.

Belinda said: “I offered to pay umpteen times for delivery, but Brian said no way. Waterford people look after their own and he kept to his word. They made me and especially my almost 89-year-old father very happy.

“My dad couldn’t believe it, he was almost in tears saying, ‘Oh my god you’ve got me blaas for my birthday! He was absolutely over the moon. It really touched us all.

“Dad was just grateful for me actually trying, and then when he actually received them he phoned me saying, “They’re here! They’re here!” 

Richard said: “I was over the moon. I couldn’t believe how she did it, blaas in Manchester!” 

Brian Hickey said he received a thank you letter from Belinda on behalf of her family.

He added: “This doesn’t happen often so I was kind of surprised, but then I thought about the man and the fact that he’s from Waterford and I said I have to get them over to him somehow.” 

Richard says his love for Waterford has stood the test of time, and that he plans to return again one day.

“I’m so impressed with Waterford today. It’s a beautiful city, it’s got everything going for it and it still has the same character from when I was a child. The shopfronts are a lot better and it’s improved so much, but it’s still the same city I remember.”