The Grandfather Shirt. As a teenager in Ireland in the seventies I had a passing fascination with the collarless, 4-button, blue and white stripe flannel shirt. I bought mine at the cheap jacks stall in Eyre Square and I wore it to death! I even had a waist-coat from OMailles on High Street, to wear over it, and a flat cap from Millars of Clifden to complete the wardrobe....! WHAT WAS I LIKE? I suppose I should explain. Planxty was just hitting the airwaves, and the Lisdoonvarna Folk Festival was the Electric Picnic of the era. It was a great time to be young and out and about in Ireland...mostly. Funny thing though, I dont ever remember getting a cold back then and now I know, I ought to put it down to wearing flannel next to my skin. Seems by doing so I was warding off chest-infections and colds and adhering to best 18th and 19th century medical practice. In fact the list of ailments that I didnt contract in the 70s because of wearing my flannel shirt is nothing short of impressive. Rheumatism, gout, bowel complaints, catarrah cough, asthma, and visceral diseases, acute and chronic (dont ask). Some doctors recommended wearing flannel next to the skin, 24-7, all year round, others allowed one to take it off at night. Personally, Ive tried both, to equal effect. So too it seemed had evey old farmer in Ireland, though to hear the stories, they preferred the all-year-round approach, so much so that I often heard of farmers being admitted to hospital and having their several shirts cut off them, which they wore to avoid just such an occasion! Somewhere along the way, I suppose around the time U2 finished the Celtic Rock revival, I lost my faded grand-father shirt. It was like losing ones teddy, half-deliberate, half-accident. Such slaves to fashion were we, I even lost my waist-coat and cap too. I miss the old stripey-shirt still, if truth be told. I must see if I can get another one to fit my growing frame. It would be cheaper than the flu shot and a visit to the doctor anyway! I remember this quotation every time I see the flannel underwear drying on OConnors fireplace in their famous pub in Salthill. “Wear flannel next to your skin, and never believe in eternal punishment.” ― Julian Barnes, Arthur & George OConnors Bar Galway is home to Irelands Shortest walking Tour - The fifty-foot tour of OConnors Pub.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 14:14:18 +0000
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