I’ve been working in Bunnys for 34 years, and I’ve come across lots of interesting people. I’ve met them from all over the world. There were lots of old characters living here years ago. They were different from the people nowadays. They were a good laugh, we’d sing songs with them and tell jokes. They were characters. They were the type of people who did’nt give a damn about anything. They’d say what they wanted to say, they would tell you to f off as quick as anything. They were great to tell a story and have a drink with and they’d drink all day and night, no problem. I don’t know were they got the money from, half of them. They had a good laugh and they lived to a fair old age
Battie Noonan was a great character, but you wouldn’t cross him, he had a terrible temper. And there was Dick O’Halloran. He was another one. They were great fellows. There’s very few of them left now. Connie Hayes and Jimmy Long.


Batty was 90 when he died. Not only did he drink pints and whiskey but he smoked too. He was 50 cigarettes a day, He drank in Pine Lodge sometimes. He always got home with out any trouble-went to sleep in a ditch and woke up a couple of hours later and wandered home . Nothing wrong with that, I slept in Templebreedy graveyard myself many a time coming back from Church Bay or the Mexican Lounge. Then there was Bobby Lynch, Jimmy’s father, he was a lovely man. He was working for the council.
Dick O’Halloran was a lovely hard working bloke. But you’d be with him maybe for a meal, cup of coffee or maybe a drink and he’d say something that would upset you after 15-20 minutes. He’d turn on you – that’s how awkward he was. He’d say something to you, something that would insult you, on purpose. He’d get a rise out of you, and he was a small man. He wouldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag. 
There were many woman around here too who were real individuals. Mona O’Brien, Mrs Dunlea and Mrs Donnery. The corner up by Poll Gorm is not the same without Mrs  Donnery. She used to come out with a mug of tea to me every day I was working in the area, though maybe I wouldn’t have been working for her, and have a chat. And of course Mrs Porteous is a character in herself

Another character that comes to mind is Ginger O’Connor, in Fountainstown . He used to spend his time in Myrtleville too- he used to do odd jobs for people. Ginger was from Ennistymon in Co Clare.
His name was Mick O’Connor and Ginger was his nickname.
 
All the people who were around Myrtleville at the time were great.
They were lovely people to be among. They had a story, a song and a joke. They didn’t give a damn. They’d get up in the morning and if they felt like doing a bit they’d do a bit.
But they were real people at the same time. If you met them along the road, you’d have a chat with them just like myself. I meet them all.

 Arra sure we don’t get the characters around here any more. We’re to close to the city. You’d have to go up to the west of Ireland to get the real characters..