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Old man belfield

Athena.721 · 2010-09-22 13:41:10

Hey there. Ive seen him around quite a bit and just wondering whaat the story is behind old man belfield? Im really interested to find out thanks :)

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22-09-2010 2:41pm

#1

Athena.721

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Hey there. Ive seen him around quite a bit and just wondering whaat the story is behind old man belfield? Im really interested to find out

thanks

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#2 22-09-2010 4:06pm
RandolphEsq

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They say he claims squatters' rights on the land so he in fact owns UCD

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#3 22-09-2010 4:15pm
simonrooneyzaga

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he's called the ucd bum..

read this to get the whole story.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055241773

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#4 22-09-2010 5:04pm
1968

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My attempt to clarify his story:

Name: UCD Bum, Old Crusty, Nutley Bum, Homeless Joe, Homeless Howard, Hoboman, Marcus

Background: Former Chemistry Post Graduate student or lecturer (possibly English Lit.). Emotional breakdown after losing his job and/or his wife leaving him

or

- Stopped a sexual assualt of a female student on campus

Been around since: At least 1990.

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#5 11-01-2021 10:22pm
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Very sad.

RIP Michael Byrne

Always thought that he had a dignified and unassuming air about him.

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#6 11-01-2021 11:14pm
delta_bravo

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I'm long gone from being a student but still visit campus for walks. I only saw him last weekend still around as usual. In such a large college you have few collective experiences. Everyone who has been in ucd for the last 30 or maybe more years will have seen him. He will be sadly missed. RIP

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#7 12-01-2021 1:39pm
tdf7187

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Came here to post this and saw it had already been posted.

RIP.

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#8 12-01-2021 1:51pm
gozunda

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RIP

https://m.facebook.com/HumansOfIrelandOfficial/photos/a.1436179263293259.1073741827.1435114070066445/1488986728012512/?type=1&theater

Could be anyone of us ...

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#9 12-01-2021 3:14pm
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There was a piece on him in the UCD College Tribune last November I see.

Bits of it used / copied today in more mainstream papers.

https://collegetribune.ie/michael-byrne-who-is-old-man-belfield-in-focas/

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#10 12-01-2021 5:39pm
2lazytogetup

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anyone know how many years he has been in Belfield. I often wondered where he slept, a bench or a tent?

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#11 12-01-2021 7:18pm
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2lazytogetup wrote: »

anyone know how many years he has been in Belfield. I often wondered where he slept, a bench or a tent?

it's said that he was around the area from 1990 or even a year or two before

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#12 12-01-2021 8:25pm
gozunda

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glasso wrote: »

it's said that he was around the area from 1990 or even a year or two before

They said he was 72 years old in the link above - that would make him about 40 when he adpoted Belfield as his home?

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#13 17-01-2021 2:32pm
Jolisa94

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2lazytogetup wrote: »

anyone know how many years he has been in Belfield. I often wondered where he slept, a bench or a tent?

Pretty sure he was already around in the mid-late 1980’s.

Used to see him sometimes from the 45 bus on the way into or out of town, he used to wear a string of conkers, and that’s what we used to call him.

Actually saw him walking up Nutley Lane just a couple of weeks ago and was wondering how he was doing in the pandemic.

RIP

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#14 24-01-2021 10:42pm
Tails142

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Bit more of a story here about his possible identity, behind a pay wall though so can't read the full thing.

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/he-is-very-like-my-missing-best-man-two-people-come-forward-with-information-on-the-identity-of-old-man-belfield-40003607.html

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#15 25-01-2021 3:52pm
Sorcha Dhuisigh _She_Her_

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So sad!

I haven't seen him since before the start of the lockdown, but have fond memories of him during my first two years in Belfield. Always seemed content.

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