Ah’ve mentioned the fly side before, ‘cos it was such a big part o’ the social scene. Surely there must be one or two o’ yis out there who kin tell a yarn about meetin’ somebody, an’ mebbe even marryin’ them. I used to stan’ over the other side an’ luk with envy at them fancy-lukkin fellas an’ girls paradin' up’n’down past Tam Browns, up t’ the corner of Railway Street ‘n’ back again. On a Sunday night, Ah think it wuz. Me ‘n’ one or two eejits, as ineligible as m’self, wud stan’ there an’gawk at them ‘huzzies’ flauntin’ themselves, secretly wishin’ we had half a chance of gittin’ aff wi’ them. Me ‘n’ m’ mates were as ugly as sin, ‘n’ barely had a dacent shirt between us, havin’ drunk or gambled away the wee bit o' money we earned or collected from the Buruu.

Sunday was the big night for talent spotting or trying till git aff yir mark with the ladies. I mentioned it before here , the girls paraded around the Market Square in pairs, usually one good lukin one and one not so good lukin. Both girls had an advantage, the good lukin one had her pick of the fellas and the other got a click as well, us fellas standing in the shop doorways, whistling and drooling
Oh to be young again, the girls, dressed up to the nines, young, beautiful and fancy free, us fellas, chomping at the bit, feeling our oats and ready for a romp, ( which was mostly always only wishful thinking on our part ) If you were lucky a few Woodbine ciggies and if you were loaded a chip in Genesis,
Donald

Come on boys, let the secrets out of the bag!They always say the Irishmen have a wee twinkle in their eyes

I think in 2006 it might be time for some to start using "spell check".
Recent attempts at phonetic Lisburnese are getting more than a little bit 'out-of-hand'

Sorry, Robbie!
That’s me put in my place. Serves me right for trying to do a Molly Bloom.

Shur away a that wi yi, wir ony spakin the way we wir rared. What di the folks say? " Yi can tik the man out aff the bog, but yi cant tik the bog out aff the man!"

No apology required.
I just shudder to think what Sammy Semple or Peggy McQuaid would have thought if I had used phonetic English when I was at the "Tech".
I spent many hours (long and boring, I thought at the time) writing out '100 words of 10 letters or more and their full meanings' from the official school dictionary as a punishment (?) from Miss Mc Quaid.
Twice, when this punisment was not presented on time because it had been doubled or quadrupled, I had to do this exercise in Pinky Waring's office after school hours.
It made me a bit fastidious re spelling.
My job also did not allow me much relaxation of misspelling either, although with my still strong (after 43+ years in Canada) Lisburn accent I sure could have used that relief more than once.
Some things you just can't forget.

"punisment" should read "punishment"
Before someone suggests it, I guess I have to go get the dictionary and start looking for 10 letter words and their meanings.

Lisburn on a Sunday night mid to late fifties, all so innocent, but we all enjoyed it. A walk round the town a number of times and then in to Battisti's for ice cream or pie and peas, that was the way it was for our crowd anyway.

I wasn't aware that we had to be so careful about our spelling, maybe those of us who didn't go to the "tech" can be excused.

Beano