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| Bettystown Beach (Credit: Paul Power) |
So on Wednesday afternoon I took a walk on Bettystown beach in County Meath, a wondrous place from my childhood, just six miles from my hometown of Drogheda.
I invited one of my oldest friends, Eddie Holt, along and he said he’d meet me there.
The sun was high, the Irish Sea was clear blue, and all was better with the world.
Until Eddie decided to drive along the beach to meet me halfway and walk from there.
He fearlessly drove past the “Warning soft sand do not drive any further” signs with gay abandon and was soon spinning his wheels helplessly about 20 feet from the water as high tide beckoned.
Walking back I was wondering who was the idiot with his car stuck when I realized it was Eddie.
So here we were. I am as useful as a eunuch in a brothel when it comes to cars and everything about them.
Eddie does know stuff, but after ten minutes of spinning the wheels and only digging deeper we decided we needed help.
My brother, Fergus, the member of the Irish parliament, was summoned from nearby Drogheda. He would surely know what and who to call. He didn’t really but he had a good laugh at us.
My other brother Michael’s father in law, Dick Reilly, who lived nearby was also summoned. He knew a local farmer with a tractor but he had forgotten his phone and had to go back to his house to get the number and call him.
Meanwhile the tide was now at ten feet from the car.
A local priest from Drogheda, Father Iggy, out for his daily constitutional, happened by. We asked if he could temporarily stop the waves advancing like King Canute tried but he quietly deferred. He would give us a push instead he said.
Others came by, some to gawk at the impending disaster. One man said he’d help but he’d just had an operation. Another said he was worried about a heart attack.
The tide was now at five feet from the car.
My brother helpful as always, picked the moment to tell us the story of the fire engine from Drogheda that has literally been swallowed up near the same spot when it came to rescue a car that was floating away and had gotten too close to the water.
Dick Reilly came back and said the farmer was on his way. That cheered us up but we waited and waited.
At last someone useful showed up – a brother in law of Fergus, Gerry Cullen, a top-notch singer with the Voice Squad and a former schoolteacher.
Soon after yet another brother in law showed up. He’s a publican. It was like family reunion day on the beach
Gerry went back up the beach and asked the man with the first four-wheel drive car he met to come and save our sinking car.
The water was now at two feet away, lapping around our ankles. The car was an older Lexus, in perfect running order, bright red and lots of good honest miles on it. Would it meet a watery grave? Eddie was starting to get emotional about it.
The four-wheel drive man arrived, thanks to Gerry, backed up and took out his rope --God bless him, at last someone was in charge.
So we started to push, the parish priest, the publican, the politician, the returned yank, the retired laboratory worker, the singer, and journalist (Eddie) and two strangers.
We pushed and we panted and we pushed again and eventually the four-wheel drive pulled Eddie’s car clear. Not a moment too soon .
The car and our dignity were saved. The four-wheel drive man would not take a penny, the tractor and the farmer arrived too late but he would also not take a penny.
The priest blessed us all, and hoofed it, and we stood on Bettystown beach as the rain began to fall and thanked the wonderful Irish and unbreakable family bonds.
17 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.jacersagain | Apr 14, 2012, 04:55 PM EDT
(…more) There is only one entrance/exit onto Bettystown Beach and from early morning the family –laden cars drove onto the beach in drips and drabs, building up as the morning passed into early afternoon into thousands. The beach became dense with closely parked cars and people’s picnic spots and many took the risk of driving into the soft sandy parts. What no one told the sunning people was that a flood tide (incoming) was due mid-afternoon… Some noticed the tide coming in and left to head home. Now, to leave Bettystown you have to drive 3 miles to the old main Dublin/Belfast road (the N1, or National Route One) where you approach a T-junction to get onto it. Traffic built up all the way back from the junction to the Bettystown beach exit. Meanwhile, on the beach, people started to panic as the tide came in fast and rushed to get off the beach… hundreds in the soft sand became stuck like Niall’s friend and could only look on in horror as the sea water lapped around their car wheels. Others also rushed to the single exit to get off the beach, causing another traffic jam at that exit that rapidly became stood still on the beach and all around Bettystown village roads. Cars couldn’t get off the beach and eventually hundreds were swamped by the sea water, though not covered over completely. There was an awful lot of work for all the car mechanics in Drogheda and other nearby towns as hundreds of cars needed repair from sea-water damage in the weeks after! My friend said that what was more frightening about the traffic jam was that if an emergency had arisen in Bettystown that day, an ambulance would not have been able to make its way through the jammed up roads. I wonder did the authorities ever address the likelihood of another scorching bank holiday weekend’s traffic chaos and how they might prepare for it and possible emergencies. Does Niall's brother Fergus know?
jacersagain | Apr 14, 2012, 04:54 PM EDT
A friend of mine called Mick, lives in Bettystown so I know the beach well after the many walks, ball games and tennis we’ve had on it. It’s a very fine, long sandy beach, one of the best I’ve seen in Ireland. Mick says if the Brits hadn’t built that stone wall at the mouth of the Boyne at the end of the beach at Mornington, there’d be no sinky soft sand: the wall traps surface sand being blown northwards along the beach and so you’ve got years of built-up unnatural sinky sand at the north end of the beach (no, it is not quicksand!). Niall’s story reminded me of Mick’s telling of a scorching hot bank holiday a few years back when thousands of people in their cars descended on Bettystown Strand to enjoy the glorious weather (More…)
Searlit | Apr 13, 2012, 10:25 PM EDT
@ IrelandNorth, that's out & out funny!
antoman | Apr 13, 2012, 02:18 PM EDT
@sirpeter- Agreed. We can't take towntroll anywhere without him embarrassing us.
Towngate | Apr 13, 2012, 11:57 AM EDT
Mo Chara,The Dauntless and Unsinkable O'Dowd,hopefully read my comment as a complimentary deeper reading of his charming tale of 'Our adventures at the Seaside'. - a timely and welcome return to witty form after his recent tribulations. >>> @ "dunnounknown" 09.52 below: The sad little 'pop' at my altered use of the common phrase 'The World and his Mother" to ' ... brother',and the reference to being 'Yanked' out - referring to the helpful Americanian Niall mentions, obviously went over your seeming very low brow also. May I suggest that instead of rushing to misplaced condemnation, in future you read a bit more carefully first, and try to remember that "It is the Art that Hides the Art" - and while you are at it - don't delude yourself, or anyone else, for pity's sake, that Ireland is capable of digging itself out of the sand. It simply cannot 'earn enough' to pay even the INTEREST on the European Bailout (don't forget the IMF - the World element!), and finally; I referred to the Irish state, not 'Society' - that's another matter entirely! Try and enjoy yourself a bit more, and whereas nobody minds the odd 'typo', it seems your 'spilchikyir' is playing merry hell with you!
donaghmckeown | Apr 13, 2012, 09:52 AM EDT
I enjoyed your story and it raised many memories for me both of Bettystowwn strand where my father once drove us for what seemed like miles in search of the sea. I also recalled a day when my brother, visiting from the States, managed,in a brand new car another brother had just loaned him for the day, to get stuck on the beautiful Magilligan Strand in Derry. We had to engage the services of a near by farmer, who made more than a little profit from the location, despite the numerous signs strewn across the beach warning of soft sand. With regards to Towngate below. If it's a metaphor for current Irish society, then perhaps the story is actually one of succeding to solve the problem from witthin Ireland as opposed to the rest of the "world"
BARNEYKX | Apr 13, 2012, 09:14 AM EDT
not a word about barney mckennas passing heres a few videos of him
IrelandNorth | Apr 13, 2012, 06:12 AM EDT
"... as useful as a eunuch in a brothel ..." Gee, Niall! Where exactly do you hang out with your bohemian mates? "Irish parliament" (sic) (?) What's with this Anglo-centric referencing? Surely Ireland's House of Representatives more contextual aapropriate for Irish-America. Murp46! Wanna guess who was Larry, Mo and Curley? With all this Titanic centenary mania, I reckon Niall mate was going for a low-budget deja-vu commemoration having missed a ticket on the M[erchant] V[essel] Balmoral. Incidentally, does the name of this chartered cruiseliner have anything to do with Her Britanic Majesty's Scottish hideaway?
sirpeter | Apr 12, 2012, 06:50 PM EDT
Hey Creakygate you sure know how to ruin a good story.
Towngate | Apr 12, 2012, 01:15 PM EDT
This yarn is a perfect metaphor for the desperate state Ireland is in today: > Get into a sinking morrass by ignoring all the warning signs and then relying on the world and his brother to yank them out of it.
Searlit | Apr 12, 2012, 11:40 AM EDT
That's a good one Niall, especially the bit about your brother and the fire engine story. You guys saved it! Your friend must have been so relieved. I'll bet you headed to the Publican's place after that ordeal. Sláinte!
joan1954 | Apr 12, 2012, 11:39 AM EDT
I have seen this happen.
johnshiel | Apr 12, 2012, 11:22 AM EDT
I was waiting for the singer to sing and the publican to serve... and the story of rounds bought by the lexus guy in thanks for his gracious neighbors... another chapter?? I recall watching a little car on Inch beach on Dingle peninsula, flying along the edge of the waves on a huge wide strand... and being surprised that us yanks aren't the only ones who'll abuse a valuable ride to get a few cheap thrills... Ireland's many many stunning strands are one of the least publicized and most gratifying parts of your wonderful country!! that and the fact that they ALL have a fine pub just nearby that serves up the perfect pint EVERY TIME...
Murph46 | Apr 12, 2012, 10:42 AM EDT
You sure this wasn't part of the Three Stooges Movie?
kidsnurse92 | Apr 12, 2012, 10:18 AM EDT
I loved this story. LOL! Well told.
jamieLM | Apr 12, 2012, 09:30 AM EDT
I guess there was a good reason for putting up that warning sign. LOL The old saying, "All's well that ends well," seems to apply here.
KSERRAHN | Apr 12, 2012, 09:17 AM EDT
When wide abandon meets panic. Boys and their toys