THEY CALLED ME HARRY for Dennis and Kay Eastwood There were only three Fenians* that I knew of in Rathcoole, Northeast Belfast in the late sixties or early seventies. Me, Bobby Sands and a woman called Caroline from Derry. There was rarely any bother until later on. I joined a local show band called The Cousins and Bobby joined …..well you know the rest of the story. I deeply respect the man. It seldom occurred to me that I was the only taig* in the band until we started playing gigs in Orange Halls*. The first thing the band leader said to me on the way to a gig in Armagh Orange Hall was “Kevin, you know we don’t give a shite about religion, but, no way can we bring someone with a name like Kevin into this hall. So from now on, you will be known as Harry.” I was very good friends with these guys because they were good musicians and great guys to work with. Anyway, most Belfast musicians are immune to sectarianism, but the band leader could not vouch for the mob. That night after a band break, I went to the bogs* for a slash*. Being a Friday night, the place was packed with Bluenose* Rednecks and Skinheads n’ all, but me and my best mate, the drummer, had to fight our way to the stall. Well, he was my best mate until he shouted across the bogs “Hey, Kevin, that was a great set, wasn’t it?!” There was a deadly silence. No way was I going to respond to that when I saw heads turning, bodies fidget and shift, and I with a rush of urgency was about to head for the door. What deadened the blow, was my friend saying “Oh Fu#%, I mean Harry, do you know anything by Van the Man?” There was another pause, then they all started laughing so I made my escape. *Fenians From the Fenian brotherhood, Irish exiles in the USA, Inspired by the legendary band of Irish warriors led by Fionn mac Cumhaill. The Fenian Brotherhood trace their origins back to 1798 and the United Irishmen, who had been an open political organization only to be suppressed and became a secret revolutionary organization, rose in rebellion, seeking an end to British rule in Ireland and the establishment of an Irish Republic. The rebellion was suppressed, but the principles of the United Irishmen were to have a powerful influence on the course of Irish history. *An Irish Catholic person *Orange Halls meeting place of an organization of Fundamentalist Protestants *bogs the restroom *slash to take a pee *Bluenose an Orangeman
Posted on: Wed, 05 Jun 2013 04:38:53 +0000
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