I know, I know, terrible thread name. However there is method to my madness. I'm going to be doing a story telling and music session at the local library for St. Pat's and I want to stay clear of the usual shamrocks and leprechauns stuff. I did a session last year and it was really well received. I told people right off the bat that I was from N. Ireland and that I would be telling stories about people I knew or knew of when I was growing up. I'm sure some people were there to hear the mythology stuff but so many others do that I just wanted to do something different. Everyone stayed though and I got a standing ovation at the end, which was very nice.

Now back to the thread title. I'm going to tell a story this year about my Granny Kenning. A real character. Your typical wee Belfast woman, hard as nails but with a heart of gold. My memory of her is a little sketchy as she died when I was about 11. The things I do remember though are her talking about the ballrooms she attended, bottles of Guinness and wrestling on the Tv on Saturdays. She mentioned Donegal Square and I wondered if any of our Belfast catters could help here. I seem to remember someone talking about a Ballroom (the Starlight?) in Wellington place.

She loved the tag team wrestlers and in particular two young brothers named the Royals if memory serves. She loved to hate Mick MacManus because he was always beating up on the Royles but she thought that he may have come from Ireland (the name sounds like he might have) so she generally forgave him. She would yell at the TV "would you look at the big gom batin' them poor wee fellas." We would say oh Granny come on now, sure he's Irish and probably a good catholic," just to get a rise out of her. She would say "och I know but I couldn't like thon man if he was kissin' me." Mick MacManus had a tag partner at that time and they both dressed in black shorts. Now maybe some of the British catters may remember his name. Logan seems to ring a bell but I can't be sure.

Granny Kenning was fascinating. She remembered having the day off to go watch the Titanic being launched or so she told us. Things I remember her saying were, "where's me fegs (cigarettes). "Did any of yez see my beg" (purse). She always said "thee," instead of three. Anyway I hope someone can help patch a couple of holes in my memory here thanks in advance Den.