John Collins: Working Life, Railways, Greyhounds
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He relates incidents from his working life on the trains, such as episodes of vandalism, and describes how a thief was caught. He tells a funny story about a man trying to dodge a fare and being tricked by a ticket checker.
He became interested in greyhounds through his father in law. He tells a story about selling a successful dog to two characters that he wasn’t sure about. He talks about some of the successful dogs he has had.
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Hunter, Stephen (1999), Life Journeys: Living Folklore in Ireland Today, Cork: The Northside Folklore Project
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Transcription
J.C: Well I had a derailment myself in Tralee. I had an engine off the road in Tralee.
Vandals…
S.H: Yeah, when was this?
J.C: It was about 1989. Vandals, they broke the light in a dolly, ‘twas called a dolly you know. And there were two white lights and a red light and they broke the red light so at a distance I could see no red light. So, unfortunately, I took the wrong colour then, you see ‘twas two white lights but they were in the wrong position and I went off the road.
S.H: Do you think these people do this knowingly, knowing they could cause a terrible smash?
J.C: Oh they did of course, ‘twas young fellas like you know.
S.H: It could actually cause two trains to collide or something.
J.C: Ah no, no, ‘twas only in a shunting-yard, you know. I was unlucky anyway.
S.H: How would they get into the shunting-yard?
J.C: Oh sure I mean coming from school ‘twas a shortcut going home.
S.H: Oh I see it’s not even fenced off.
J.C: No, no, ‘twas a shortcut going home you know and they’d be passing these places and unfortunately they broke the light and I walked into trouble over it.
S.H: What was that like actually, was it that you got a horrible jolt?
J.C: I got a big jolt and it took a while to put her back on the road then you know.
S.H: You didn’t have to have time-off work or…?
J.C: No, no, I didn’t.
S.H: Do they have an enquiry into an incident like that?
J.C: Oh there was no enquiry but…
S.H: They just come around and have a look, do they?
J.C: That’s it, yeah.
S.H: Do you have any special railway police?
J.C: Oh they’d have police now around Heuston and Inchicore and these places but in the yard over.
S.H: Would they be very specialised?
J.C: No, no, they’d be a Group 4 crowd you know. They’re around over in the yard you know for fear stuff would be stolen and that kind of thing, the same in all yards where there are Guinness now or groceries or stuff?