The Corner: A story of growing up in Waterford in the '30s

On leaving home, Saturday, I turned left, travelling in the direction of the village of Ferrybank, to meet my associates at the corner. To be classified as a corner boy, you would almost need to be a permanent fixture at this spot where one street joined another street with a corner house common to both.

An encounter with the local boys was always enlightening as they congregated to communicate. The locations varied. Some days it would be at Paddy Geary’s and on other days they stood on the opposite side of the street at Coughlan’s Corner, all depending on which direction the wind was blowing. As I rounded the bend at the “Top of the Pound” I didn’t have to hoist a wet finger for a bearing as I heard the banter. And some of the gang had spilled out onto the street.

I didn’t care about hearing the local news or gossip. I just wanted to stand with them. I remember my first days at the corner, wanting to be a hard man and be one of the boys, my legs crossed with a shoulder to the wall holding up the corner with my hands buried in my trousers’ pockets and my caipín on the Kildare side. I spat, spoke with drawl and cursed in order to sound tough and so that passers-by could not comprehend.

Not all “corner boys” should be tarnished with the same brush. Some more senior boys also frequented these corners, commanding a certain amount of authority over us younger fry. By their example they inadvertently taught us manners and good behaviour. These grown-ups occasionally had GAA or soccer matches as their topic, and when necessary, local team selections were rigged at the corner. Horse racing results would be known by somebody, and so what won at the Curragh or maybe Epsom was thrown into the mix.

Betting and prices sometimes came into play here as well. We learned how to place a bet on a horse – an each way was simple enough but when it went to doubles or trebles and credit stakes the levels of complexity increased and it moved into higher finance. It amazed me how fast I learned equations when my own money was at risk.

Anthropology was rarely on the agenda but still that’s where I heard how babies were born. Politics caused many a heated argument, too, especially during election times. At that particular period in the mid to late 1930s we had Redmondites and the Up Devs, not to mention the Labour Party. It was difficult for candidates to promote the bread and butter issues, as the Civil War still lingered on. Listening to these debates you became adept at fighting your corner. None of this corner philosophy was included on our school curriculum.

A few of the boys joined up during the war. And I should mention two in particular – Jim Norris and Jimmy Dempsey, both of whom were in the RAF. Jim, or Doc as he was affectionately known, was a rear gunner. It is with sadness that I relate the fact that he was killed in action over Germany. Some months later Jimmy Dempsey came home on leave. As was usual he visited his friends at the corner. While he was there relating some of his experiences an aeroplane passed overhead. Jimmy looked at his wrist-watch nonchalantly, glanced up at the plane, and declared matter-of-factly to the company, “Star of Cairo, dead on time”. The chatting continued but we were all impressed. I asked him casually if he planned on returning to England. 

“O, yeah,” said Jimmy. “Gotta go back to get the guy that got Doc”. 

Corner boys have their loyalties too.

Now with the advent of front gardens in the new housing estates, those type of street corners are hardly ever seen, and the phenomenon of corners where corner boys congregated is nearly obsolete. In those days they were part of the fabric of village life. And though every village in Ireland had their share of nicknames Ferrybank takes beating. Though some are self-explanatory I often wondered about the origins of these nicknames, or who or what was the instigator of such names. It was my pleasure to have known each and every one of those that I list here below.

Sunshine, Pa, Bonzer, Slob, Butty, Manager, Victim, Ficka, Miser, Verg, Luther, Nicksy, Doc, Rockey, Brasso, Bailliff, Hen, Topsey, Brack, Bucket, Mackey, Rodney, Duck, Guts, Beano, Knox, Gonso, Mosco, Gingler, Badger, Daddler, Wirey, Darkey, Beck, Smoker, Queue, Ducker, Sprat, Bockey, Swaney, Skiek, Buller, Fagan, Chinkey, Polo, Geomator, Bungy, Lux, Tit, Tuppece, Hobby, Lofty, Ganell, Willie Woodbine, Monkey, Spankey, Jocko, Gooley, Nobbie, Yankey, Dill, Dilli, Dashie, Pudgie, Uisce, Shack, Chock, Labour, Beary, Dinner, The Hard, Leather, King Lir, Smiler, Strang, Missioner, Twin, Fox, Queen, Butt, Gaffer, Pecktor, Bull, Spit, Cow, Knuck, Gandhi, Billy Stink, Tiddles, Bishop, Gaggy, Chicken, Boxer, Robby, Bunty, Shiner, Chain, Hood, Bags, Skipper, Dilly, Tar Barrel, Mug.