Lisburn Exiles Forum
(Site is no longer operational pending a major long overdue overhaul of the entire website. Thank you for your patience. Site should still be visible and searchable for old posts.)
The Lisburn Exiles Forum is dedicated to the memory of James Goddard Collins (The Boss) who single-handedly built LISBURN.COM (with a lot of help from many contributors) from 1996 to 29th November 2012. This website was his passion and helping people with a common interest in the City of Lisburn around the world is his lasting legacy.
Due to backache my missus can't walk as far as I can, so I wander locally alone. I used to take my grandaughter to see the horses, sheep and rabbits, but she now prefers the internet. A couple of weeks ago, I was 'chatting' to a pony we met years ago, when a young man approached with his two little children. I stopped talking to my animal acquaintance, and watched with pleasure as the man and his children called out to him.Being unaccompanied by my wife, who would have found it too forward and inappropriate, I spoke to the man and told him the pony's name, explaining how my grandaughter and I had become acquainted with him and his female owner. I was fascinated to learn that the man is from Madrid, and his young boy and younger girl are bi-lingual. He flattered me with compliments on my attempt to use his language, and I boasted of gaining a GCSE pass in Spanish forty years ago. The children however, were not remotely impressed, being much more interested in tearing pieces of baked mud from the ground and flinging them into the field. Alejandro told me that his wife, though a teacher, worked in a nearby cafe, so, again being pushy, I popped in there yesterday. I needed a glass of San Miguel to give me courage to introduce myself to the attractive lady, and was rewarded to learn that her husband had mentioned meeting me. I know that this is dull stuff, but I am by nature both sociable and loquacious, and I have recently started to notice that for mmany years I have lived a very reserved sort of life. It may well be true that, as my wife tells me, I like talking about myself.
Dabbler, that was a nice posting. Northern Ireland people are inclined to strike up a conversation with someone they've just encountered. I do it all the time, especially if children are there and more especially if someone has a new baby in the pram. I just can't resist poking my head in and touching the new-born's cheek. We do this without a thought and I think it's a good and healthy tradition. When my youngest daughter moved to Oxford years ago, she found the people cold and distant. She didn't stay there very long. She moved to the North of England where she was made welcome and found the people much more friendly. She still lives there. 
Ann
I hoped that someone would understand.
A book jumps into my head - The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner.
Life is short.
Beano
Im pleased t hear I'm not unique.
I was in Lisburn on Friday. As I passed McCall's shop, I glanced at the window with all the colourful shirts and jackets on display. A local man - I only know him by sight - touched my sleeve and pointed to the shirts. "Look at that", he says, "£90 for a shirt and I can get them over there (pointing to a charity shop) for a couple a' pounds". I agreed with him about the price and commented that maybe some people had too much money. He had a good laugh at this and I walked on. I didnt let him know that I buy a good few of Dominis's clothes in McCalls. However, I absolutely do not pay £90 for his shirts. Just pointing out that here in Lisburn, people still randomly start up a conversation with someone they don't know AND the other person will reply to them.
