Once Upon A Time In The Muirton

Welcome to Once Upon A Time In The Muirton.

Recently we had the pleasure of sitting with 3 Auld Muirton Bairns - Lizzie Lamond, Gooey Mcgrath and Jimmy Duncan (Dunk's big brother). Before we knew it 4 hours had passed and it was time to go. We have edited this episode to a little more than 2 hours - it could have been more :-) and we hope however you choose to listen, you get to hear the whole episode - whether in one sitting or a few. 

There are plenty of stories and laughs shared by our 3 guests, who have been friends for over 50 years. Friendship is the underlying thread that runs through this episode. Which, we think, a place like The Muirton creates an unbreakable bond between people who have shared experiences as young kids, through their teenage years and growing up into the folk they now are.  

You'll hear chat about the neighbours, chip pea busters, The Rag and Bone Man, the Waterworks Well, Canadian ice hockey players, penny for the guy, Jimmy Duncan even remembers the phone box number on the corner of Ainslie Gardens and Balhousie St. And so much more. 

Happy Listening. Enjoy.

Dunks & Barney

FB/Meta: https://www.facebook.com/groups/275795401238996/

Twitter: @TheMuirton1

THE HEART OF MUIRTON by Liz Lamond

Happy children out to play

What street games will we play today?

Draw a beddy on the path?

Marked from one to Nine

Hop & skip pick up the tin

But don’t step on the line

Playing doublers in the close

Singing all the songs

We don’t like cheaters in this game

Don’t they know that’s wrong?

But wait I hear the ice cream van

It’s music to my ears

No point in asking mum for cash

That would end in tears

What’s this? I see a shiny penny

Lying in the muck

The van is getting closer!

I can’t believe my luck

He stops at last across the road

I’m over like a hare

“A penny mixture please” I say

I’ll eat this on the stair

Scraps for swapping from a book

Hours & hours of fun

Freezing in a concrete close

Or sitting in the sun

I’m off along to see my pal

At number 23

Not sure what we’ll do today

Just need to wait & see

Swimming in the public baths

Jumping in and stuff

Then up to the wee cafe

For a bag of tattie puffs

Put your sixpence in the slot

Pull the window doon

And if you got the timing right

You could end up with two!

Or tell the wife with the key

“ I didnae get my puffs”

Aye she would say “nice try hen”

I’m away noo in the huff

Happy days at the Northern

A wee bottle of milk with a straw

Not every body liked it

So I got extra…. Braw

Carbolic soap to wash our hands

That was all dry & brittle

But that’s ok we didn’t care

Cause we were only little

Berries,Guysing,raiding fruit

Out in snow or rain or shine

Making memories every day

You can’t take them they’re mine

A wee time at the waterworks

Some water from the fountain

Climbing up the concrete wall

Felt like we climbed a mountain

Then wander to the chippie

A pea buster on our mind

Salt & vinegar & broon sauce

The staff were awfy kind

They’d sneak a pickled onion in

Felt like we were so blessed

You’d make it last the whole way home

Then it was time for bed

Lifetime friendships

Forged with love

Will always stay with me

They can keep the silly fancy names

Muirton is muirton & always will be

A special little footnote

For a very special friend

You were my angel through my life

And will be until the end

Welcome to our latest episode of Once Upon A Time In The Muirton with our very special guest Tommy Campbell. Tommy is a very well kent face in Perth and across the Scottish Football scene.  He shares stories of how his family were decanted from tenements in the town's Pomarium Street to Muirton in the late 1950's. We go further back in time to when Tommy's dad, left Ireland as a 14 year old,  came over to Scotland, like so many Irish families, to find work and send the money back home to County Mayo.  You'll hear Tommy talk about being at some significant and historical events - The Beatles playing the Caird Hall in Dundee on 20th October 1964, Celtic winning the European Cup in Lisbon 25th May 1967, The Rolling Stones free gig at Hyde park July 5th 1969 and the terrible tragedy that occurred at Ibrox near the end of the old firm game, on January 2nd 1971.   Tommy tells a good story and and has plenty stories to tell.  So, Tune in, Turn on and  enjoy! Many thanks Barney and Dunks   

LINK TO CLEW BAY

https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/environment-geography/transport/transport-infrastructure-/railways/the-achill-tragedies/ 

LINK TO KIRKINTILLOCH FIRE

https://youtu.be/_H4fsaujf9s https://www.mayo-ireland.ie/en/towns-villages/achill-island/achill-island-kirkintilloch-burning.html 

LINK TO YOUTUBE TOMMY CAMPBELL - SAINTS TV goes behind the scenes to speak to Youth Development Manager and Kitman Tommy Campbell on his role at the club.

https://youtu.be/_H4fsaujf9s

LINK TO ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MUIRTON FACEBOOK PAGE 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/275795401238996/

This is our last, very short, episode of 2021. It starts with a Christmas poem by Gordon Banks and then goes downhill from there :-) 

We had great plans for a big finale to the year but beer led to wine led to toast. We have had an absolute ball being given the privilege spending time with so many fantastic people who let us into their home. Sharing their personal stories of time living in Muirton. 

We have big plans for 2022 and look forward to capturing even more stories from the people of The Muirton.

Thank-you to everyone who has taken part and everyone who has taken the time to listen to these podcasts and give us generous feedback along the way

Happy Listening. Enjoy.

Dunks and Barney

A muirton bairns christmas

How many days till Xmas maw

Shed get sick to hear us say.

How many days till Xmas maw 

So we can get are toys to play.

Counting down the days 

And wondering what youll get.

Checking behind the watdrobes

But nothings back there yet.

Provie mans been and left a check

I hope he left enough.

I pray there's lots of money there

To get me all my stuff.

Skateboards bikes oor Wullie books

Sweeties in a box.

Xmas cards on the mantle piece

Along with our odd sox.

Your not getting that fancy bike 

My aulder brothers would say.

Winding you up and annoying you

Saying there's defiantly no way.

Two days till xmas wheres my stuff

The wardrobes still aufy bare.

That's the place where she hides it aw

There's nothing ataw in there. 

Xmas eve some stuffs wrapped

And tucked under the tree.

It's all wee stuff nothing big

Nae fancy bike for me.

Mums in the kitchen pinnie on

Prepping all the food.

Canine wait till the morrow noo

That trifle looks awfy good.

8 o'clock time to go hame

Say cheerio Tae yer mates.

Along the road Tae yer Hoose

And through the auld green gates.

Jammies on yer maw would say 

And come on through the hoose.

Theres crisps in that bowl ower there

And ower there theres  juice.

Sitting on the  sofa couch 

Watching auld tv.

Paul on a poofy on the floor 

Steven next to me.

Time for bed my maw would say

Its getting awfu late.

A moan and a aufy huff

A rite old fuss wed make.

So off to bed we all would go

Chomping at the bit.

butsting full of exitement

Wondering what we would git.

 rite into bed maw would say

A dont want to hear a peep.

Wed go to bed jump rite in 

But no chance we would sleep.

Wed lie there queit and listen hard 

To every little noise.

Cause we knew time had come

For maw to shift oor toys.

Its getting late where is ian 

He helps maw bring them through.

Hes in the pub wee his pals

He should be in the noo.

I hear th door thats ian hame

Prezzies will soon be through.

Here they come its after 12

There in the room rite noo.

Away they go theve done there job

Santas been and gone.

I have to get up and open some

Cannie wait till the morn.

Is it xmas maw can we get up

Can we play with oor toys .

Aye go on then get on up

But try keeping Doon the noise.

Theres my bike i knew shed get

My brothers got theres too.

Sometimes its rite in what they say

Wishes do come true .....

In the intro to the original episode https://anchor.fm/barnaby-black/episodes/Mr-Softee-a-sneak-rocket-attack-and-the-Shah-of-Persia-e171a82  Dunks and me talked about sharing what Robin had told us following his and Roy Benson's heroics stopping a robbery at knife point.

The story didn't end with the successful detaining of the robber, or even the well deserved recognition Robin and Roy received. A year later Robin shares how the incident led to him being involved with the emergency services one more time.

Happy Listening. Enjoy.

Dunks & Barney

Dear Listener, join us on our latest episode as we take a step back into our school days. The Northern District was one of the main primary schools that educated the children of Muirton (at least tried to), St Johns, St Ninians and Central District being some of the others.

Opened in 1908, 1000's of children have walked through the school gates in the last 113 years. Like many schools of the 20th century it has served it's purpose and will be closed later next year.

Before the final bell rings in the summer of 2022 we hope to be able to return to the school with other 'auld Northern/Balhousie pupils' to capture as many stories possible and give some insight into what a 20th and early 21st century primary school experience was like.

Many thanks to Rachael Simms from PKC for guiding us around the school.

Many thanks to Gordon Banks for allowing use of his poem 'Malvina Place' 

Northern District Primary School - Friends of 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/18598751092/

Auld Muirton Bairns 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/auldmuirtonbairns/

All the best,

Dunks and Barney

An Evening with Aileen Myles!   

Most of us are lucky enough to have a loving family around us, growing up through our formative years that shape us into the adults we are.  This episode is special, as it involves this very thing, a loving family, who asked Barney and I if we would come and sit with them, to reminisce about their time living in Muirton.  The stories will be  familiar to our listeners, yet are still unique to our guests.  This is the magic of doing the podcast.  We get to hear these familiar stories told in our friends and neighbours words.  I will speak for both, Barney and myself, in saying what a pleasure it was talking with Aileen Myles.   Aileen's son, Tam, got in touch and arranged for us to visit.  Along with Tam, Jackie,  Aileen's daughter, and her good friend Ann O'Donald made up the cast list for this episode of Once Upon A Time In The Muirton!  As ever, we were delighted with our warm welcome, the stories told and memories remembered.  

We have stories of the Muirton community, that was so important to Aileen.  A love of family, friends and music runs throughout this episode and, of course, some great stories are told into the bargain.   So, without further ado, put the kettle on, get comfy and enjoy this latest episode of, Once Upon A Time In The Muirton!

Dunks and Barney

Welcome to our latest episode. You are in for a real tasty treat down memory lane - Robin Rennie aka Mr Softee is taking us on a journey in his ice cream van around the streets of The Muirton.

Robin started with Renato's ice cream van in 1964 up until he got his own Mr Softee van in the early 70's... the rest, as they say, is history. You'll hear Robin talk about the families he got to know as he went along each street - in some cases up to 4 generations over the years would go to Robin's van.

Robin has told some of his stories on his facebook page https://www.facebook.com/robin.rennie.75 and the pages Auld Perth Bairns https://www.facebook.com/groups/137051633046307/  and Muirton Bairns too - https://www.facebook.com/groups/auldmuirtonbairns/ 

We know you'll enjoy hearing Robin share some of his stories from the years he spent doing the rounds of The Muirton.....

ps - keep your eyes and ears peeled for a bonus track we are going to release of Robin and his bravery award.

Happy Listening, Enjoy!

Dunks and Barney

In this episode our guest is Brian Mcarthur. Brian is well kent and one of the administrators of the popular Facebook page Auld Muirton Bairns which was created 'For anyone who was brought up or married into Old Muirton, the 'Pride of Perth'!'

https://www.facebook.com/groups/auldmuirtonbairns/files   

Brian moved with his family to Muirton - 17A Ainslie Gardens - as a 4 year old in 1962... 1 of 9 - 3 sisters and 5 brothers.

The stories Brian shares include his first memories of the day he moved into Muirton, the smell of the chippie, how he met his wife Maggie, originally from Ireland,in 1974 at The Corinna pub, school dinners, the baths, the berries, his taste in music and how taking a short cut home after a night at the Tay Motel he got caught on a chain-link fence ...sobered him up pretty quickly.... 

The photograph accompanying this episode is Brian with all his brothers, sisters and one of his nieces. 

Happy listening, Enjoy.

Dunks & Barney 

Welcome to our 4th episode - in two parts - of Once Upon A Time In The Muirton. You are in for a real treat. We had the pleasure of meeting Davina Bruce nee Taylor who lived in The Muirton with her family as a 3 year old in 1948 up until she left in the mid 1960's. 

Her memories of the queens coronation in 1953, how her dad gardened for Lady Watson-Watt (The Mother of Radar), trips to the Steamie. You'll hear when she met the Beatles as an awestruck teenager...

Davina also shared her memory of the tragic 1974 explosion that happened in what was her former home - 76D Malvina Place. We have kept this recollection in the audio and hope we have done so in a respectful way to the family and all concerned. 

We must thank a good friend of ours, Ian Holden, for introducing us to his Aunty Davina and you will hear his voice throughout.

Happy Listening & Enjoy.

Dunks & Barney

Welcome to our 4th episode - in two parts - of Once Upon A Time In The Muirton. You are in for a real treat. We had the pleasure of meeting Davina Bruce nee Taylor who lived in The Muirton with her family as a 3 year old in 1948 up until she left in the mid 1960's. 

Her memories of the queens coronation in 1953, how her dad gardened for Lady Watson-Watt (The Mother of Radar), trips to the Steamie. You'll hear when she met the Beatles as an awestruck teenager...

Davina also shared her memory of the tragic 1974 explosion that happened in what was her former home - 76D Malvina Place. We have kept this recollection in the audio and hope we have done so in a respectful way to the family and all concerned. 

We must thank a good friend of ours, Ian Holden, for introducing us to his Aunty Davina and you will hear his voice throughout.

Happy Listening & Enjoy.

Dunks & Barney