At the far side, the Omeath jetty was very slippery.
Walking up to the main street, we were fascinated watching people at stalls, swallowing oysters. Daddy swallowed three and older brother swallowed four.
Soon we all boarded two jaunting cars outside Mulligan’s shop, headed for Calvary.
As we arrived at the Holy Shrine, older brother took sick. Baby brother started to cry and the hiccups returned … and the other brother disappeared.
Eventually Daddy found the other brother, with his pockets full of crab-apples.
Mammy wanted to do The Stations of the Cross – but it was not to be.
Eventually we boarded the boats back to Warrenpoint. Older brother and I were on Dollar Duffy’s boat ‘Newry’. Daddy and the other brother were on Stevie Bradley’s ‘Madonna’. Mammy and baby brother were on McGuigan’s ‘St Anthony’.
The waves were rough and the sea choppy. Some men on our boat were sick. Quite a few had partaken of the devil’s buttermilk. Others were singing.
Eventually we pulled up alongside the Warrenpoint Jetty. Dollar Duffy called for help – and a young Kevin Dinsmore carried the other brother to the safety of the Warrenpoint shore. Poor Tommy McGuigan was exhausted, carrying baby brother!
… more later …