At the time of writing, speculation is rife throughout the city that major job losses are on the cards for Bausch and Lomb. Waterford Crystal workers are still at a loose end as to whether their jobs and pensions are in any way secure and numerous other smaller enterprises in the locality are shutting down, laying people off and putting others on short time pretty much on a daily basis.
The financial hardships facing our country are on everyone’s lips at the moment – can you think of the last time you had a chat with someone where the situation didn’t come up in some shape or form. We who rode into adulthood on the back of the Celtic Tiger are justifiably becoming more anxious by the day.
So it was refreshing to speak to a couple of older members of my family recently, who fondly recalled similar tough times in their youth when, in their own words, ‘we had nothing, but were so happy’.
One of them showed me the following poem, penned anonymously, which, they reckon, really summed up the simple, frugal and best years of their lives. Seeing as the economic downturn is already resulting in a drastic cut in our spending habits, it was nice to talk about something other than money. Who knows, maybe my own generation will eventually recall these years as memorable – in a good way.
“We met and we married
A long time ago
We worked for long hours
When wages were low
No TV, no wireless, no bath,
Times were hard
Just a cold water tap
And a walk in the yard
No holidays abroad
No carpets on floors
We had coal on the fire
And we didn’t lock doors
Our children arrived
No pill in those days
And we brought them up
Without any State aid
They were safe going out
And played in the park
And old folk could go
For a walk in the dark
No valium, no drugs
And no LSD
We cured most of our ills
With a good cup of tea
No vandals, no muggings
There was nothing to rob
We felt we were rich
With a couple of bob
People were happier
In those far off days
Kinder and caring
In so many ways
Milkmen and paperboys
Would whistle and sing
A night at the pictures
Was our one mad fling
We all got our share
Of troubles and strife
We just had to face it
That’s the pattern of life
Now I’m alone
I look back through the years
I don’t think of the bad times
The troubles and tears
I remember the blessings
Our home and our love
And that we shared them together
I thank God above”