NO ANGELS IN DUBLIN

 

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NO ANGELS IN DUBLIN

CHAPTER 1

Ann sat in the front room enjoying a well earned cup of tea and listening to the peace. It was Friday morning and John, her husband, would soon be home. He was on night shift this week. He never did take to night work, said it was only for thieves, rats and bats. Good people sleep the sleep of a clear conscience that God has granted them. He should say the same thing on Saturday when he falls in the door at two in the morning, pissed out of his head and singing his head off. They lived in a four storey tenement house in Sherriff Street in the very heart of Dublin. They considered themselves lucky as they occupied three rooms on the ground floor. At least you didn’t have to drag your kids up numerous flights of stairs and when you came home from the pub, you just fell into bed, not down the bloody stairs. There were drawbacks as well. When the couple upstairs to you fancied a bit of how’s your father late at night, you could hear every bang and grunt and as well as that, the block had only two outside lavs. So there were two family’s on each floor. Four floors and an average of six per family. Say forty eight persons. So some people got caught out, as you’d say. You can imagine the smell wafting into the hall, especially if someone happened to have the runs. Still the good things outweighed the bad. It was Dublin 1948. Not long since the war but long enough that rationing was starting to disappear. Most people who resided in the inner city lived in rented accommodation that were in very poor condition and whose landlords considered maintenance as not kicking in the front door when the rent was due. Ann and John Molloy were married fourteen years and had three children. The Catholic church at the time only believed in a glass of water to be the best contraception. Not before sex, nor after it, but instead. There was John Jr. The eldest. Then Sam, that me and my little sister, May or button as we called her, because we thought her nose looked like a button. The flat consisted of three rooms, two bedrooms and a living room that would suffice as a third bedroom when May got bigger or maybe we would save enough to bribe the man from the corpo and we would get a proper house in the country, somewhere like Crumlin or Ballyfermot. Ann’s peace was shattered by the noise of a homemade trolley being pushed down the street outside her window. The trolley consisted of a few planks of wood with old pram wheels And a beer crate nailed on to the top as a seat. It was constructed in such a way so the front wheels could be turned with a length of Strong string. It was the two Murphy brothers and they as happy as Larry singing the same song over and over. Ann who was miffed at first started to laugh out loud when she heard the words of the song “You should never push your granny off the bus, you should never push your granny off the bus, you should never push your granny, cause she’s your mammy’s mammy, you should never push your granny off the bus”. Would you two eejets shut up. You’ll wake the dead. Why are you not in school, the inspector will be around for ya And you’ll end up in Artane on dry bread and water. Me ma’s gone down to the hospital with me Da. Whets wrong with her, me ma asked. I don’t know missus, but she was crying something awful. Mary Murphy was ma’s best friend. They moved into the tenements on the same day and hit it off straight away.

Ann put on her coat and locked the front door, not that there was much to rob. Two beds, a single wardrobe. That was all the furniture for both bedrooms. The sitting room had a cooker, a sink and a dresser. Two armchairs and two stools that my father had made. pride of place was a small cupboard with a radio on the top. Many the hour we spent listening to the radio and sometimes after the pub on Saturday night we would invite Mary and her husband around for a singsong. She thought of leaving a note for John but thought, he’ll think I’v gone to the shops and go straight to bed. She made her way down to the Mater Hospital. She went to the emergency room where she found Mary being closely attended to by her husband Tommy. He was supporting her arm. “What in God’s name happened to you” asked Ann. I fell down the bloody stairs, says Mary. You didn’t have to be a genius to tell she was lying through her teeth, well the few she had left. Now I never liked Tommy and always suspected he was a wife beater, but Mary always lied for him. This time was different. Mary was in a bad way. She had a dislocated shoulder, sprained ankle, two black eyes and three cracked ribs. I’ll swing for you Tommy Murphy, you’re gone too far this time. No, it wasn’t him, Mary cried, I told you I fell down the stairs. So Tommy was going to get away with it again. I said, well feck you Mary, you’re a bloody fool. I’ll leave you to it, you’re never going to see sense. In the meantime John Jr. Who we just called junior, and myself had arrived home from school. Jr. was the eldest at fourteen and I was thirteen. It was jr.s last year at school. Two years previously while racing down the front steps of the school, he had slipped and opened his head. It was touch and go for a few weeks but he pulled through. It left him with a huge scar across his face and a boxer’s nose. Everyone was afraid of him after that. He looked like he was in a scrap every other day and must be right hard. The accident also left him soft in the head and he followed me around like a lapdog. Ma had arrived back from the hospital. I hope you two didn’t wake your Da, he’s been on nights this week and you know how grumpy that makes him. No ma, do you want me to collect May from aunty Nora. O Jesus, I forgot all about May with all that was going on with Mary. Whets wrong with Mary, I asked Ma. She says she fell down the stairs but I know Tommy beat her up again. Somebody ought to throw him down the stairs. I said to jr. If I was a bit bigger I’d do it quick enough. I went around the corner to aunt Nora’s and collected May and made my way home. On the way back I bumped into Mary’s two boys. Is your ma and da back from the Mather yet, I asked. No, says Dan, and were starving. We had nothing to eat all day. You and Ted come around to our house, sure you know me ma will give you something to eat.

 

 

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Chapter 2

The seven of us sat at the table, having our dinner. Ma says, sure you two can stay here if your ma and da don’t get home in time and don’t worry about your ma, she’s as hard as nails. She must be, me da’s always hammering hell out of her, says Dan. We all burst out laughing except for me ma. Where in god’s name did you learn language like that, Dan Murphy, asked me ma. Sure me da always uses the f word, says Dan. Well I’ll thank you not to use it here.

There was a knock at the door and without waiting for an invite, in walks Tommy. Marys fine, thank god, but their keeping her in overnight. Just to be on the safe side. Well don’t you just sound like the concerned husband. Now don’t start all that again Ann, says Tommy. I was just saying to John, wouldn’t it be poetic justice if you accidently fell down the stairs, says ma. You’ll get yours one day. Come on boys, say thanks to Aunty Ann. Sure they might as well stay here, just bring in some clothes and I will take them to school tomorrow. Thanks Ann, says Tommy. I’m only doing it for Mary, says ma. Well thanks anyway. About an hour later we were all sat around the radio listening to some eejet telling a ghost story that didn’t even frighten May when me ma says, where’s jr. With that there was a commotion next door. Just as me ma went to the door to see what was going on, in comes jr. Were you out the front, me ma asked. No ma, I was out at the toilet. A crowd was beginning to gather. What happened, me ma asked. Tommy Murphy fell down the stairs. Is he hurt bad. Bad enough, somebody said, He’s dead. Jesus, I’v put the mockers on him. What am I going to tell Mary. Ma bent down to make sure there was no sign of life when she noticed a piece of torn cloth in his hand. She recognised it immediatly. It was a piece of jr’s shirt. It was a horrible multicoloured shirt he had got from his granny for Christmas. He loved it and so wore it nearly every day. Quick as a flash, Ma slipped the piece of shirt into her pinny pocket. Somebody get the priest says ma. Jr sat down beside me. He smiled and said, I done it. What are you mumbling about I said. He leaned over and said, you got your wish, I pushed the bastard down the stairs. The blood drained from my face. Whats the matter with you my da said. I’m getting a bit frightened by your man on the radio. Your a right scardy cat sure even May is laughing at him and shes only four. Can I go out for half an hour da, I asked. Well go on and bring jr with you. We had barely got outside the door when we were grabbed by ma. Jr let me see your shirt. Sure enough it was torn and a bit missing. Come on you two, out the back. Sam did jr say anything to you. Yes he told me some stupid story about pushing Mister Murphy down the stairs. Its no stupid story. Tommy Murphy is dead. Now listen carefully says ma, as far as anyone knows, Tommy accidently fell. Jr you never talk about this again. If anyone finds out you will be locked up for life, maybe even hanged. Sam you have to drum this into his head. Your the only one he listens to. Ok ma, I’ll make sure he understands. My mother didn’t realise the burden she was placing on a thirteen year old. The one thing I realised was that my shadow would do anything I asked of him. Ma ran in and told everyone about the accident that had just happened next door. Poor Mary, I suppose I better go up to the Mater and tell her. Can you not give that girl a bit of peace just for tonight and tell her in the morning, says da. No you never know when they would let you go home and I don’t want Mary to fall into an ambush. I suppose your right says da. You mind the kids and I’ll go. I’m her best friend and it will be better coming from me, says ma. It was nine o’clock when Ann reached the hospital. The night nurse did not want to let Ann in, as visiting time was long since over. Ann explained the situation and the nurse brought her to Marys bed. Mary I have something terrible to tell you. Your not pregnant again laughs Mary. Ann realised Mary was drugged up to the eyeballs. No, Tommy had a bit of an accident, says Ann. He fell down the stairs. That fucker would do anything to get into bed with me, says Mary. Mary its no joking matter. He’s dead. Mary dropped her head into her hands and began to shake. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. I’m so sorry Mary. Ann suddenly realised that Mary was shaking with laughter and the tears were tears of joy. Ann thought, It’s the drugs, causing her to hallucinate. It serves the fucker right. Its payback for all the hidings he gave me. I hope he rots in hell. Mary think of the kids. They hated him too, they will be as pleased as punch. Well Mary you certainly had me fooled. How come you never said anything. He told me if I opened my mouth he’d kill me, says Mary. He can have a paupers funeral, I’m not paying to bury him. I told the priest once and he told me not to be talking nonsense, as Tommy was a great fellow. Well the priest can dip into his own pocket and bury his pal. See how he likes him then. They say that I have to stay in for a couple of days so could you do me a big favour and look after the boys for me. You don’t have to ask me that say’s Ann, you know I’ll look after them, they are like my own boys. I will come up again in the morning and we will discuss where we go from here. Ann made her way home, still reeling in disbelief. This woman who she considered to be her best friend for the last fourteen years was really a stranger to her. Her revelations would make no difference to their friendship, in fact it would probably strengthen it. Ann told the boys about their father and they showed no emotion whatever. They were more excited about staying over than their fathers death. Ma, jr or myself never spoke of the accident again It remained our secret. Little did we realise it would raise its ugly head and bite us on the bum. Mary was kept in the Mather for a full week. When she came home, asked to have a natter with ma and da about the future. This meeting would change our lives forever.

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CHAPTER 3

Your my best friends, more like family so I’ll come right out with it. Tommy was a miserable tight fisted bastard and I don’t yet know how but he managed to leave me a lot of money and the second hand furniture shop in Clanbrassil Street in the Liberties, which he owned outright. As you know, he only worked part time there, so I don’t understand how he made so much money. But I’m not complaining. Jr is due to leave school in a few weeks and if you would not mind letting Sam miss a bit of school, it would not do him any harm, he has brains to burn. I would let the two of them run the shop for me and I’m sure I’ll discover where the money was coming from. I’ll pay them a good wage and maybe when my two get a bit older they can all throw in together and maybe form a nice little business. I know it’s taking a big chance but work is scarce and if it works out, it could be very good for us all. My ma, though intrigued by the proposition, was weary. How could she trust a woman who lied to her for fourteen years. She would be putting the future of her two sons in the hands of this woman. There again there was not much else that the boys could do especially jr, since he had the accident on the steps. John was all for it. Ann thought to herself, I’ll leave the casting vote up to Sam. Sam wandered in from school with jr in tow. Ann called them. Come here boys, I have something to ask you. Ann explained the situation to them. Sam did not hesitate for a second. In fact he became really excited by the prospect. Mary said she would hire an older lad to help out just for a couple of months. Just in case of any trouble.

The next day they all took a trip over to the south side to see this fantastic shop. Clanbrassil Street was right in the heart o the liberties. The street was predominantly Jewish. Most of the shops were Kosher meat shops with the odd Irish newsagent or hairdresser in between. There were two pawnbrokers, one at either end. The shops all had funny names, at least funny for Ireland. There were names like Rubinstein or Jacobson or such like. These shops had sprung up over the last ten years, ever since the rise of Hitler. Now Marys furniture shop was in the middle of all this. Not exactly the ideal situation. Sam at age thirteen was as smart and street wise as anyone twice his age. He was average build and height for his age, but over the last two years he and jr had been in so many fights over stupid eejet ready to take the piss out of jr, that they both had become right hard nuts and capable of beating any grown man in a fight. Neither of them would back down to anyone. Jr was the real hard nut but would never start anything without Sam’s say so. Sam say’s to Mary, how did your husband make money out of this pile of junk and especially only open part time. Thats what I keep asking myself, says Mary. I’v gone through all his paperwork at home and I found nothing. What we will do is, we separate the usable furniture from the crap and sell the better stuff off cheap. Dump all the crap and I will buy some proper stock. Maybe give the shop a lick of paint. I gave Joe Henderson from down the road the start for tomorrow so he can do all the heavy lifting. He will give you no lip, He’s as thick as two short planks but he’s built like a brick shithouse and I explained that you would run the shop. He will do anything you tell him. So Sam thinks to himself, what a situation. How in gods name does she expect me to make a success of this little enterprise. I’m a thirteen year old schoolboy with a staff comprising of a fourteen year old who is soft in the head and a labourer and general dogsbody whos as thick as two short planks. Taking over a shop selling second hand crappy furniture from a site in the middle of the butchers department for refugees from WW2 most of whom don’t speak proper English. This was a real wake up call. Sam says to jr under his breath, I will give us three months and we will be looking for new jobs. I’m sure we’ll do very well Mrs Murphy, say’s Sam. Next morning at eight AM, the three lados are opening up the shop, All wondering to themselves what was in store.

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