The Colourful Characters of Waterford

The shortts guy is still around, seems a nice innocent guy. Like other 'legends' if you're looking for trouble you'll get it from them

A few others

The guy who always walks with the hands behind his back and his hair waves

The indian fella, think he's a DJ

mooseknunkle wrote: »

I know Davy and yeah i heard about what happened to him when younger ,really nice fella but should keep away from the drink but thats not an easy thing to do

‘Joey la blanc’........a lot was spoken about this guy in the 80’s/90’s...not sure what ever became of him......? Does anyone else recall him and what was so unique about him apart from the surname..? Was he a distant relation of the ‘friends actor’ Matt...?

There's this Polynesian lad who's fairly fond of the drink you'd see around the Barrack Street area. He often wears a cowboy hat. Have people seen em?

Asdfgh2020 wrote: »

‘Joey la blanc’........a lot was spoken about this guy in the 80’s/90’s...not sure what ever became of him......? Does anyone else recall him and what was so unique about him apart from the surname..? Was he a distant relation of the ‘friends actor’ Matt...?

Joey is as about as distantly removed from Joey le Blanc as you could get !! :pac:
Joey leBlanc still lives in Waterford. Someone told me he now lives in a supervised house somewhere out by Earlscourt. I actually saw him not so long ago by the Ardkeen Shopping Centre.
Originally he lived down in the Doyle Street area. A lot of the kids used to give him a hard time slagging him off and he'd chase them away. Archetypal scarey man chasing kids. Dont know his background but he more than likely had some kind of mental/social issues. Back in the 1980's the GP would not have been so sympathetic when it came to caring for such individuals. Perhaps thats why there was a large number of these characters in the town. In the general Ballybricken/Barrack St area alone you could encounter Martin Hunt with his hurley, Eddie Batt (bad luck charm), Joey leBlanc and Mad Tex and his dogs. A veritable gang of Marvel Superheros down on their luck:pac:

smellyoldboot wrote: »

Patsy DeCourcy was another one, same area, lived down at the Barrack St end of Doyle St. Permanently angry alcoholic, no bigger than 5' tall with a tache. Surprisingly fast .Would have passed for Super Mario.

Forgot about Patsy. A small Usain Bolt (if UB was had a fondness for the booze) He was one very angry nasty man :mad:!

PTH2009 wrote: »

The shortts guy is still around, seems a nice innocent guy. Like other 'legends' if you're looking for trouble you'll get it from them

A few others

The guy who always walks with the hands behind his back and his hair waves

Anyone know who this guy is? If memory serves me right, he was like that even in the 80s. When i was a youngster and really into computers and the programming of them, I remember he used to make comments on computers in general as if he really knew his stuff. I think someone once told me he was actually an extremely intelligent man but had some mental and social issues, possibly due to upbringing etc so didnt get the same opportunities.

Now thats just memory so im not 100% if im right but i definitely still see that guy a lot around, and dont know anything about him.

friendlyfun wrote: »

Wonder what happened to Mytown? I've heard he's sobered up now.

Peter Sinnott. Good singer, likes a bet, liked a drink but the drink didn't like him, entertaining, won a talent contest in the Rue Glen a few years ago singing "The Gambler" by Kenny Rodgers. Think he is a permanent resident in the hostel, and a much happier person in the last few years.

Flow Motion wrote: »

There's a well dressed older man who walks around the town most days and around the Dunmore Road area. Apparently he is retired but still keeps up the charade of dressing up each day and going about his business as if he is going to/still at work. He used to be a bank mgr I am led to believe. Genuinely feel sorry for the lad:(

Always been curious about this man's story. Full suit and trench coat regardless of the weather. Passed him a few times out walking and he always has a smile and a hello. Seems a really nice fella. He clocks up some miles.

Mysterypunter wrote: »

Fiji I think. Was always in the bookies, handy enough on the horses, he's dead a few years, think he's buried in Ferrybank.

Yer right it was Fiji.

I worked in a place once, Davy would come in to equip the latest nixer, it's said he once wired a cooker with 2.5 twin and earth cos that's all he had handy, there was a right cantankerous fecker who was the "supervisor" who didnt like Davy basically because of the colour of his face, one day there was a rumpus which basically ended with Davy saying "what ***** needs is a d*ck, a big black d*ck up the ar*e.....!!!!", true story.

Davy wasn't a fan of Franky Detorri in the bookies, "I ride the hoss better than that little pr*ck, I'm same size too !!!'.....

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Anyone know who this guy is? If memory serves me right, he was like that even in the 80s. When i was a youngster and really into computers and the programming of them, I remember he used to make comments on computers in general as if he really knew his stuff. I think someone once told me he was actually an extremely intelligent man but had some mental and social issues, possibly due to upbringing etc so didnt get the same opportunities.

Now thats just memory so im not 100% if im right but i definitely still see that guy a lot around, and dont know anything about him.

He reminds me of Van Morrison. Think he does something with the Theatre Royal coz I saw him come out one of the side doors a few times. And at the bank getting big bags of coins at the counter.
Although all these guys are characters around town it's a sobering thought but for a few wrong turns in life, lack of opportunities or plain bad luck any one of us could fall into a different place in society. Same thing when you see some of the young people begging on the streets.

friendlyfun wrote: »

Yup I know someone I saw begging on the streets, guy was a very talented hurler. He's still young but I do hope he gets his life in order someday.

probably needs assistance to do so

PTH2009 wrote: »

Davys sister is a real lunatic and much worse then him

so a family of psychological issues, tis common enough

Mysterypunter wrote: »

What about the Indian, does anyone know about him? An international conman of mystery.

He actually has an English accent, Seems to be here for years

Another local legend is the guy with the glasses and long hair. He worked for the corporation. Reminded me of Garth from Wayne's World ha