Derry's street names reveal a lot about the city's commercial heart in days gone by, says KEN THATCHER, who onders if we should now consider renaming a few 21st century quarters. He also explains that when people get to a certain age, they swap colonoscopy stories as readily as soldiers do war stories...
During a moment of idleness in the shop last week I was flicking through some of the now out of print Derry books which we have in stock, two in particular, ‘City on the Foyle ‘ by Sam Hughes and ‘Streets of Derry’ by John Bryson caught my attention. I was struck by the aptness of some of the old city street names many of which have long since disappeared.
We are all still familiar with those that do still exist like Pilots Row where the four master pilots who guided vessels up and down the river lived, or Butcher Street which was obviously a prime location for fleshers of all descriptions.
But where and what was the significance of Oakum Alley? Oakum Alley was situated in the area which was demolished to make way for the construction of Foyleside, an area where the names of many of those lost streets and laneways depicted the kind of activities which took place there. Sugarhouse Lane, Soaphouse Lane, Brewery Lane and Skinners Alley all roughly situated in the same area round Foyle Street and close to the quays.
Of course in the Waterside, Distillery Brae and Distillery Lane remind us that at one time Derry boasted the greatest number of distillers in the country.
But back to Oakum Alley. Picking oakum was a laborious task often given to prisoners doing hard labour, you spent all day unravelling old rope to create a material which was then used to caulk ships to make them waterproof or seal joints on pipes to prevent leaks.
As I cast around to find modern equivalences of these street names I did find a couple: Electra Road, which as it is situated in the Maydown area and leads to the power station, is unlikely to be named after the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra who grace our screens on Saturday night in ‘Fall of a City’, and the rather clever Disc Drive close to the Seagate complex .That was it. I decided that either those who name our roads lack imagination or we no longer make anything worthy of a name.
I am willing to put forward one name for consideration, I propose that the shopping centre at the Crescent Link should be called The Shambles given the chaos which ensues in the car park at busy times. But, come to think of it, it doesn’t boast a butcher or a slaughterhouse of any description.
Digging a hole for oneself
Just this week I have had further reason to question the difficulties of living without a government. The issue of potholes in our neighbourhood has been a hot topic for quite a while now.
We had been informed that something was going to be done soon and we were all quite pleased to hear it.
Then at the start of the week I saw evidence of some progress. I was on my way to wrestle with the local supermarket and on turning right out of our street I saw a lorry, a steam-roller and a tar-laying machine.
My spirits rose. I would be able to negotiate the approach to the house without swerving from one side of the road to the other to avoid the potholes and risking raising the wrath of the PSNI who might have chosen to ask me to take a breath test.
As I drove on for another hundred yards or so my heart sank. Just around the next bend I encountered a lorry with a digger and drill in attendance, They were busily engaged in digging a trench right across the middle of the road where no doubt next week a fresh batch of potholes will be spawned.
What’s in a ‘K’?
It can be strange how random conversations sometimes take a bizarre twist.
I was recently checking out the bookselling opposition in Foyleside when I met a customer whom I hadn’t seen for ages. He told me that he had recently retired and was enjoying the freedom which this afforded him.
We went on to talk about books and the acquisition of them and after a few further pleasantries we prepared to take our leave one from the other.
"Retirement is grand," I ventured, "especially if you have a cheque to look forward to each month."
He mistook my ‘cheque’ for ‘check’ and before I knew it we were off in a flurry of physical health related topics rather than our financial health which was my principal concern.
I don’t quite know how, but this eventually brought us to a full-on discussion concerning colonoscopies. Had anyone been listening we must have sounded like ex-combatants comparing old war wounds. However the upshot of this penetrating conversation was that we agreed that if, when we looked over our shoulder during the procedure, neither party was taking any pleasure then it must be all right.
If you have a story or want to send a photo or video to us please contact the Derry Now editorial team on 028 7129 6600 for Derry City stories Or 028 7774 3970 for County Derry stories. Or you can email gareth@derrynews.net at any time.