Once Upon A Time In The Muirton

In this episode you will hear the voice from one of Muirton's most well kent people over the last 50 years - Pena Rylance. 

In 1962, speaking only Italian, Pena left her home village of Contursi Terme, in the province of Salerno, south-western Italy. Arriving in the middle of a snowy Scottish January winter.

Pena moved to 70D Malvina Place in 1971 and lived their until 1994/95 moving to Stanley Crescent where she is today.

Pena worked at Strathallan School as a cook - where she was 'taught' some of the more fruity words of our language as she began to learn English. 

She met Jimmy Rylance who would walk from Perth to the Strathallan School to see her (that's a 16 mile round trip). Some 18 months later Jimmy and Pena were married in 1964. Rosa, Peter and Robert were born over the next few years 1965, 1966 and 1969.

We hope you enjoy this episode as Pena shares some of her memories.

Ciao,

Dunks and Barney 

As we are in the middle of the Euros football tournament, Barney and I thought we should do a short episode on football in the Muirton. 

We made reference in the first episode that football was a big part of our lives growing up playing in the streets and back greens of Muirton. 

I invited two old friends, John McLaren and Steve Banks, to come and have a chat with me about their memories of football and Muirton. As is the case, when chatting to people, their stories come flooding out and we end up talking about so much more than what we set out to discuss.

In this episode the chat moves from memory to memory and occasionally football does get talked about as we walk past the Artisans Golf Club, on the North Inch and up to the Hanging Tree, and the field where we played many a day. 

John brought two photos from our Primary seven year at Northern District, the football team and the cricket team (I told John we were not going to talk about cricket but, if you listen, he cant help himself). In the photo of this episode - John is fourth from left back row. Steve is second from right back row. I am second from left front row. 

This chat with John and Steve brought so many memories back for me, I hope it does the same for you.

Dunks and Barney

Everybody has a story to tell. Once Upon A Time In The Muirton is a collection of personal memories gathered and told by the people of Muirton in their own voice and in their own style. 

In this Pilot Episode we take you on a walking tour around the streets of Muirton as it is today in 2021 - recalling how it was when we lived here, through the late 60's to mid 80's. 

Follow us as we walk and talk, retracing the steps we took many years ago. 

You'll hear from Dunk's mum and an unplanned blether with Dave Findlay and his wife Janette, which could have filled this whole episode. 

Inevitably, our auld memories being what they are, mean occasional mistakes on names, dates and locations have probably been made. What we have recorded we hope is heard as it is intended - with great affection and pride having walked the streets of The Muirton.

All the best,

Dunks & Barney