The Colourful Characters of Waterford

PTH2009 · 06-07-2011 1:47am

U cant forget The Minister , what a man

anyone knw a bald lad id say he is in his 30's, he has a load of tatoos and and always weres a metal band t shirt ???

Master and commander · 06-07-2011 9:37am

Platinum2010 wrote: »

I know where she lives , if your passing her house she accuses ya of stalking her or something , she's so damn aggressive , wonder why her brother ever lets her out tbh

I think I came across this wan before. Is she 5'6"ish, dark curlyish hair and kinda hefty?? If that her i met (passed) her walking her lab dog down on the disused part of the WSVR in bilberry. It was around where the dog pound is. I was walking against her and when i had passed by, she turned around and shouted some thing like; "did you get tired of looking did ya? you black f*cker! There's no black f*cker going to jump out of the bushes and attack me!......."

I was shocked, never experienced this kinda thing before while walking, I had gone there many times before. I replied "what are you on about, i didn't do anything to you???" Then she called me a black f*cker once more and continued on her way.
For the life of me, i can't unterstand why she was calling me a black f*cker. I'm white and irish FFS! This happened last summer.
Crazy oul bat. All very strange.

Does she live down that way?
I thought maybe she did live down there and was pissed off cos people were walking on the tracks behind her home, but now reading this i realise she s just a mad oul wan.

Master and commander · 06-07-2011 10:07am

These are the ones i remember seeing and hearing of:

How-do man - old geezer who goes around saying how do to passers by. Hilarious. Always around the library and barronstrand st.

Shammy - Now dead. He used to go around talking truckers CB slang all the time 10-4 10-4. Dead a while now. From around ferrybank. He was found dead in a shed a while back.

Tramore road man: Allways sitting on a deckchair near the halfway house on the tramore rd, with a pile of dutch gold and cider cans beside him. Always pissed and laughing/shouting at passing cars. Sometimes wearing alternately; a santa suit, full camoflage or more usually a hi vis get-up.

Neo - a lunatic going around ferrybank usually with a shaved head, and with sunglasses and black trenchcoat. GF said he used to be in McDonalds in town after a night out and they used to send him upstairs to the jacks to find agent smith. Nutter. I think he's moved onto some other style now.

There was a crazy bum that used to live behind argos/Mcdonalds in the carpark, hold up in the arches under the old city walls.

Also the guy in Larkins(i think) butcher shop. This place hasn't sold a piece of meat in 20 yrs but yer man still opens the old fashioned shop every day and the city's older folk call in for a chat. It was in the paper at one stage, and a cutting of it is taped to the shop window. Interesting.

Theres also that scruffy oul fella with the kinda rough goatee beard thats always sitting on a bench in the Lisduggan shopping centre

Then there's Mr. Madigan in Madigans offie. Jez that place is some kip. You go in and he wipes the dust off the cans before you get them and wraps bottles in newspaper. And the amount of crap stuck to the wall in the back shop is unreal. It's like some kind of dirty sticker protest. Sometimes you see yer man with the checkered jacket, and wellies rolled down to his ankles and he would be mullocking away with crates of beer in the yard around the corner near tesco. He has a really squeeky vioice.

Dan133269 · 06-07-2011 10:12am

Master and commander wrote: »

. Any you see yer man with the ckecker jacked and wellied rolled down mullicking away with crates of stuff in the yard around the corner near tesco. He has a really squeeky vioice.

What?

jimbojazz · 06-07-2011 1:32pm

Master and commander wrote: »

Then there's Mr. Madigan in Madigans offie. Jez that place is some kip. You go in and he wipes the dust off the cans before you get them and wraps bottles in newspaper. And the amount of crap stuck to the wall in the back shop is unreal. It's like some kind of dirty sticker protest. Sometimes you see yer man with the checkered jacket, and wellies rolled down to his ankles and he would be mullocking away with crates of beer in the yard around the corner near tesco. He has a really squeeky vioice.

Ah, that'd be Bosco Madigan

shockwave · 06-07-2011 1:47pm

Anyone remember 'The Whistler', he was an oul fella who walked around the town all day with a dog whistling at the top of his lungs.

jimbojazz · 06-07-2011 1:57pm

shockwave wrote: »

Anyone remember 'The Whistler', he was an oul fella who walked around the town all day with a dog whistling at the top of his lungs.

You serious, he should have put that dog on Britains Got Talent - Simon Cowell was crying out for an act like that

Dan133269 · 06-07-2011 2:26pm

jimbojazz wrote: »

You serious, he should have put that dog on Britains Got Talent - Simon Cowell was crying out for an act like that

:D:D

I'm sure a lot of people would remember Frankie Byrne from the Villa football club. Dedicated his life to the club, a good man.

batm!ke · 06-07-2011 2:58pm

Speaking of Football Clubs, the guy who looks like Santa at all the Tramore AFC games is a total ledgebag (!) He's even got a Tramore AFC tattoo on his leg! Philly or somethin his name is. Plays Santa around town at Christmas, and I even saw him performing with a gospel choir in Red Square the week before the Tall Ships! Supposedly a really nice guy, my da knows him fairly well.

Rubberlegs · 06-07-2011 4:00pm

shockwave wrote: »

Anyone remember 'The Whistler', he was an oul fella who walked around the town all day with a dog whistling at the top of his lungs.

I remember The Whistler:D! Used to see him a lot in Darrers. He was an uncle of a woman my mother worked with.

Rubberlegs · 06-07-2011 4:02pm

batm!ke wrote: »

Speaking of Football Clubs, the guy who looks like Santa at all the Tramore AFC games is a total ledgebag (!) He's even got a Tramore AFC tattoo on his leg! Philly or somethin his name is. Plays Santa around town at Christmas, and I even saw him performing with a gospel choir in Red Square the week before the Tall Ships! Supposedly a really nice guy, my da knows him fairly well.

That's Geno Kavanagh, my friend's Dad:D

cbl593h · 07-07-2011 10:51am

73Cat wrote: »

I remember The Whistler:D! Used to see him a lot in Darrers. He was an uncle of a woman my mother worked with.

Tommy Kinsella. There used be a painting of him on the wall in Shefflins back in the day. Wonder where it is now???

RC88 · 07-07-2011 12:02pm

anyone remember joe fag(used to hang around shops asking ya for a quid, always be smoking a fag) or sqippy(old c*** with a frame that used to whack anyone smaller than him until you pushed him of it) from dungarvan

joe was bit annoying but harmless but i hated sqippy with a passion

plus anyone know anything bout the fella who used to dress up as neo in ferrybank

seanybiker · 07-07-2011 3:46pm

Tommy the **** engine. Jaysus he was an awful idiot.

up for anything · 07-07-2011 10:02pm

There was a man in the early 80s who used to hang around Burgerland. He had a wild, red, straggly comb-over and was known as Fuckthepig/Screwthepig because legend has it that he had. I always wanted to feel sorry for him but he was an aggressive so and so.

Nolanger · 08-07-2011 10:38pm

Where was Burgerland, beside the Book Centre?

seanybiker · 08-07-2011 10:40pm

Nolanger wrote: »

Where was Burgerland, beside the Book Centre?

Up by sherwoods

nkay1985 · 09-07-2011 2:54pm

seanybiker wrote: »

Tommy the **** engine. Jaysus he was an awful idiot.

Is that Tommy Power from Hillview? Famous for being caught **** out a window apparently.

seanybiker wrote: »

Yeah that's him. Sound fella him.
Anyone remember the young fella white dude with the ginger fro. What a legend. Think he busked a bit aswell.

That'd be Kev Power. Pretty sure he was in Australia for a while and kept the fro the whole time. Must have been roasting. Good musician is Kev. Still meet him the odd time around town.

seanybiker · 09-07-2011 3:38pm

nkay1985 wrote: »

Is that Tommy Power from Hillview? Famous for being caught **** out a window apparently.

Tommy barry. Yeah that's the fella.

jimbojazz · 09-07-2011 3:46pm

nkay1985 wrote: »

Is that Tommy Power from Hillview? Famous for being caught **** out a window apparently.

EEjit, he should have got a grip of himself.

nkay1985 · 09-07-2011 4:49pm

seanybiker wrote: »

Tommy barry. Yeah that's the fella.

Tommy Barry yeah. Dint know where I got Power out of.

jimbojazz · 09-07-2011 4:52pm

nkay1985 wrote: »

Tommy Barry yeah. Dint know where I got Power out of.

How did he handle the situation? Does he still stick out in the crowd?

Rubberlegs · 09-07-2011 7:17pm

Nolanger wrote: »

Where was Burgerland, beside the Book Centre?

What is now The Book Centre, was Stripes, a fast food restaurant. I worked there when I was in 6th year, too many years ago:o. Supermac's used to be what we called The Gloss, think was actually called The Savoy. You went in and upstairs, it had pool tables and video games etc.

Nolanger · 09-07-2011 9:35pm

Mork from Ork and his jacket street sales?

mrsmiawallace6 · 16-07-2011 9:18am

I do i remember him, was he the guy that sold windmills i used to love getting them on a Sat, crazy wat you remember

Birdfood · 17-07-2011 4:32pm

jayboi wrote: »

i know hes not a real person and probably not colourful but what about the lad that keeps knocking on the window in fieldmaster hes been at that a good while now.

Ha ha

JRYANPOW · 19-07-2011 9:45am

I remember Mad Texas, chased us a few times, he had a caravan up by the rusty tracks I think.
Martin Hunt and the Roanmore strip and belting the slither down Patrick street.
Eddie Batt. Poor fella unfairly labelled a jinx
Remember hearing a story about cashin and miller having a bath tub full of booze around xmas one time and just diping in a mug for a refill, rock n roll!
Stab the rasher is still around.
Anyone remember Shammy the postman up around griffith place, leamy street ard na graine area? Seem to remember him looking like eric morecombe, maybe I'm wrong tho.
Anyone remember Bollockys (sic) field up the back of the mount sion pitch near the bucket factory and how he'd shoot you in the arse if you got caught in there?

SheFiend · 19-07-2011 8:52pm

nkay1985 wrote: »

That'd be Kev Power. Pretty sure he was in Australia for a while and kept the fro the whole time. Must have been roasting. Good musician is Kev. Still meet him the odd time around town.

Saw him play in Sals at the weekend : his voice is amazing. He was talented when busking, but seems to have come on leaps and bounds!

few cans? · 19-07-2011 9:04pm

SheFiend wrote: »

Saw him play in Sals at the weekend : his voice is amazing. He was talented when busking, but seems to have come on leaps and bounds!

he used to play with Lebowski didnt he?

MsBojangles · 20-07-2011 12:32pm

Master and commander wrote: »

Does she live down that way?

I've been told she lives just off Barrack St
Not sure how accurate that is though

Waaah2k11boi · 21-07-2011 3:49am

"There was this guy that used to dress up as batman I saw every now and then, remember seeing him at spraoi and just walking around town a few times. Came up to my friend one day and asked him did he want to be his robin. Very strange fella."

If it is that Dave guy, he was a substitute art teacher in St Pauls there a few years ago when I was doing my jr cert which was back in 2006.

ArtVandelay76 · 21-07-2011 9:01am

few cans? wrote: »

he used to play with Lebowski didnt he?

Yeah i knew he used to play with lebowski a few years ago.

denisoneill14 · 17-11-2011 11:33pm

Guramoogah wrote: »

Do any of ye remember the Pigeon Man? He'd be on the Quays or up around Barronstrand Street or Broad Street in the 1970s, feeding the birds. A roundy oul lad, always wore a heavy overcoat tied with a rope.

That was "Forty Coats" - named after the character from "Wanderly Wagon" on R.T.E.
He was a harmless old gentleman.

denisoneill14 · 17-11-2011 11:39pm

SUNGOD wrote: »

"how do"..cause thats what he will say to you, there are youtube clips of him shouting "how do"

years ago there was harry miller and fella called cashin they were allways together and were just known as "cashin & miller"

harry miller had grey hair and a long grey beard and someone said "harry would you do santa clause for christmas" he replied " i would if you hold him down":D

in more recent times we had the legends known as "multivan" and "newportwex" whose intellect is only surpassed by their popularity

I went to school with Harry in Mount Sion. His mother was one tough lady! They lived in Barrack Street at the time he was being educated.

pudzey101 · 21-12-2011 10:56pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKmnf9kWPSo

hawthorn · 20-02-2012 1:54am

Soswozere wrote: »

thewhale wrote: »

Great to hear all about the different characters from this thread, i'll throw in my own one, does anyone remember the lady that used to sit on the side of the road up from Corbally church, out by the saleens, she used to try stop all the passing cars with her stick and try on tell them her life story, to us she was known as Lily Shing Shang.

Yep. She was a Dame. She would bang on the car asking the time. When she died, her dogs stayed by her side, one had died of hunger and the others were starving, yet the door was open.

There was a fantastic documentary about her on rte 1 radio about 7/8 years ago. It was one of the best things I ever heard. Called looking for lily shing Shang. It was a great story. I think it was made in the Waterford region of rte radio. Try to find it!

kkdela6 · 20-02-2012 11:44am

Wasn't there a racing horse in tramore called lily shing shang too? Presume there is some sort of link

Flyin Irishman · 20-02-2012 2:19pm

I've heard rumours of a guy who used to always be around, then just disappeared one day.
Apparently he had loads of names... I heard that when he had a bike they called him biker, when he baked bread they called him baker, when he was the 1st officer of the enterprise they called him riker and when people talked about his various names they called him thanker.

But I dont believe in urban legends....

Finneen · 20-02-2012 6:59pm

Anyone remember Andrew Byrne directing the traffic back in the '80s?

ex_infantry man · 21-02-2012 11:12pm

Flyin Irishman wrote: »

I've heard rumours of a guy who used to always be around, then just disappeared one day.
Apparently he had loads of names... I heard that when he had a bike they called him biker, when he baked bread they called him baker, when he was the 1st officer of the enterprise they called him riker and when people talked about his various names they called him thanker.

But I dont believe in urban legends....

he is one legend of a man, heard he has fists of steel and stands ten feet tall

mccarthy37 · 25-04-2012 11:20am

One of the most famous character's in my time growing up in Waterford was Ankle socks she was supposed to have been a prostitute but how anyone touched her was beyond me as she was filthy. A friend of mine was going home late one night back in the early '70s' out in Ballytruckle and there was a full moon when he spotted herself on a bench that used to be there, her legs spread apart and wearing no knickers, being young and having his first look she copped him and asked what are ya lookin at boy, to which he replied I'm only looking at the moon to which she answered ya should have seen it last night there was a man in it. There were loads of character's around town in the '60s' and '70s' most of them were harmless it must have been a miserable existence for them as most were on the streets all day. There are lots of funny stories to tell even though there lives were not great their wit was brilliant.

Kilkennyguy5 · 20-10-2020 3:32am

jesus all the memories,growing up around Waterford back in the 80s,so many characters coming flooding back
The guy outside Darrers selling the windmills
Chap with the dark wavy hair,looked foreign,walking round town talking to himself
Michael with the beret,i remember him in the Book Centre one day,reading aloud from random books
Martin Hunt
The Bok singing in The Roxy and T&Hs

Wanderer78 · 20-10-2020 6:00am

Kilkennyguy5 wrote:

jesus all the memories,growing up around Waterford back in the 80s,so many characters coming flooding back The guy outside Darrers selling the windmills Chap with the dark wavy hair,looked foreign,walking round town talking to himself Michael with the beret,i remember him in the Book Centre one day,reading aloud from random books Martin Hunt The Bok singing in The Roxy and T&Hs

Interesting how we use such terms to describe some people who clearly have psychological issues, and may need assistance and support

Luckycharms_74 · 20-10-2020 9:04am

Kilkennyguy5 wrote: »

jesus all the memories,growing up around Waterford back in the 80s,so many characters coming flooding back
The guy outside Darrers selling the windmills
Chap with the dark wavy hair,looked foreign,walking round town talking to himself
Michael with the beret,i remember him in the Book Centre one day,reading aloud from random books
Martin Hunt
The Bok singing in The Roxy and T&Hs

The guy outside Darrers selling the windmills

Johnny Lyons (outside Dunnes as well)

Chap with the dark wavy hair,looked foreign,walking round town talking to himself

Davy Singh (hes still around I think)

friendlyfun · 20-10-2020 10:41am

There's an oul lad that used to be singing and dancing in Shortts. He was some character, he's around but I guess he has no shortts to go to now

. Someone made a gif of him dancing under the roof at the apple market. Some legend haha

Flow Motion · 20-10-2020 12:52pm

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Interesting how we use such terms to describe some people who clearly have psychological issues, and may need assistance and support

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:(

friendlyfun · 20-10-2020 12:54pm

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:(

Is that the man that is always smiling? I see man fitting your description fairly reguarly

Wanderer78 · 20-10-2020 1:00pm

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:(

its a significant problem for some folks when they retire, we truly need a proper structure in place to deal with this critical life transition, many are just left on their tod when they retire

enniscorthy · 20-10-2020 3:07pm

MY OLD MATE FROM YEARS AGO JOHNNY LYONS FROM WATERFORD CITY CENTRE RIP

Wanderer2010 · 20-10-2020 5:22pm

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:(

I have seen him! And he could be anywhere, but you are most likely to find him smiling away walking around that loop of Grange Manor, Tesco Ardkeen, and back down past the Uluru and down St Alophonsus Road...

I thought he was a solicitor when I first saw him. Seems a harmless character and the walking keeps him very fit and active I imagine.

The Colourful Characters of Waterford

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