A hard Christmas it was in London in the 1960s

An Irish immigrant remembers and thinks of home

MAURICE BRICK,

IrishCentral Contributing Writer

Published Sunday, December 11, 2011, 7:38 AM

Updated Monday, December 12, 2011, 12:00 PM

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London, 1960s

He came by my side and sat there and I thought I detected a tear or two in his eyes. He looked at me and said, “You know, this is no friggin’ way to spend a Christmas, is it?” And I said, “You’re right” and I shook his hand for I thought he was a better man than I.

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proudirishlass | Dec 12, 2011, 11:37 AM EST

I worked in England during the 80s for a number of years and visited cricklewood (mostly Irish area) of London several times. It broke my heart to encounter a number of Ireland's sons paralytic drunk sleeping in their own urine and vomit on the pavement on a Sunday morning. Irish people are hard working decent people but loneliness and alcohol has ruined many a fine Irish man.

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muirisobric | Dec 12, 2011, 09:01 AM EST

It was a rare old time. We worked hard but we got paid unlike what we'd left behind. I don't find it any load to carry being there then. I learned a lot that helped me through life.

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newrygirl | Dec 11, 2011, 05:44 PM EST

Thanks, Maurice, for a heart-felt and vivid account of a part of Irish emigrant history that has not often been told. My father was one of "McAlpine's Fusiliers" around that time, and told many similar stories. Thanks for sharing it.

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