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Welcome to 'staff memories', where we show our esteemed colleagues who have
retired. Most have given huge service to Dublin Bus and
to Conyngham Road Depot.
Owing to the recession, we have a plethora of drivers in 2009 who have, in most cases, taken early retirement,
and we show them with their wifes or partners at a presentation dinner to honour their time with Dublin Bus. Photos
and names to arrive here shortly.
HI EVERYONE...
| PADDY "STOCK" NOLAN |
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| AND NOW THE END IS NEAR... |
Paddy "Stock" Nolan, (photographed above), retired in April 2004 after
completing 40 years service with Dublin Bus (inc. Dublin City Services pre-1987, of course).
Paddy Nolan came from Ballygar, Co. Galway. For anyone not familiar with Ballygar's
location, it is situated near the Roscommon border near Mount Bellew. Like most young men from a rural background Paddy went
to England for several years to earn a living and worked in the building trade in both Manchester and London. When Paddy returned
to Ireland he started work in 1964 with Dublin City Services as a conductor.
During Paddy's many visits to the CIE canteen in Earl Place he started dating one
of the staff from the canteen. Veronica, a girl from Inchicore in Dublin, and Paddy started a courtship that was to eventually
end in marriage and bring along 5 children, four boys and a girl. At this stage the "children" are aged between
27 years of age and 37 years of age. How time flies when you are enjoying yourself! Paddy's history on the buses, as mentioned above,
started in 1964 as a conductor on the 23 route. Paddy began his driving career in 1968 and got marked-in on the 79 route.
After a while Paddy transferred to the Finglas route 40 for approximately 3 years, but eventually gave in and came back to
the 78 route. Getting itchy feet again Paddy went on the 76 route before he got his bogey duty on the 78's again. Alas, his
last marking-in of his career came on the Lucan 25/A route, which again was a bogey duty. A lot of changes you'll agree, but
there again, a lot of years covered. Paddy had his son Frankie working in Dublin City Services/Dublin Bus as a conductor some years
back. Frankie stuck it out for one year but eventually had enough and went elsewhere to pursue a career. Many of you will want to know how Paddy got
the name "Stock". Well in the mid 1950's the Galway gaelic football team were legends and were winning All-Ireland
medals galore. One of the famous Galway footballers was a Frankie Stockwell. Now Paddy says his own football skills were no
match for Frankie Stockwell's but like all hopefuls Paddy would have liked to 'model' himself in those days on F. Stockwell.
His mates then nicknamed him "Stockwell" and eventually shortened his nickname to "Stock". Hence,
the name stayed with Paddy to this day and so we call him Paddy "Stock" Nolan. There, I bet you that piece of history
was a surprise. We
were and still are very fond of Paddy who's quiet demeanour around the garage could have meant he could go unnoticed. Sure
isn't that the sign of a gentleman, never one to boast of his deeds and experience and just leading by example. Far be it
from me to be passing judgement on anybody but I think it goes without saying that we are seeing the farewell of a true gentleman
and one who will be missed by many. Paddy, good luck in your retirement and best wishes to you and your family for the future. May your health be your
wealth and may god go with you wherever you go.
| JIMMY (SMILEY) KENNY |
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| JIMMY RETIRED ON THE 21st MAY 2004. |
Sadly Jimmy died in 2007. However, we feel it right for Jimmy's details to remain on the 'Retiremente'
page as great people like Jimmy don't come around too often in this world . This is now a tribute to Jimmy Kenny,
R.I.P. Jimmy Kenny (left) retired as
a driver from Dublin Bus Conyngham Road Garage in May 2004 after 33 years service with the company, including time working
at the beginning of his driving career with Broadstone Stores as a lorry driver.
Jimmy got the nickname "smiley" from his workmates either because he smiles all the time
or he's grumpy at times. Either way we wish him well in his retirement. Our workmates have a habit of giving you a nickname,
some names are flattering most most are not and you unfortunately end up stuck with that name until you retire.
But getting back to Jimmy. From 1971 our Jimmy worked
as a lorry driver for Broadstone Stores for 3 years. At that time Broadstone Stores supplied parts and everything else for
buses and lorries to all parts of Ireland including all the bus garages in Dublin. Jimmy's work brought him to places such
as Cork, Waterford and Limerick, to name just a few. Nowadays all Dublin Bus garages have their own Stores Departments.
In March 1975 Jimmy went driving for Dublin City
Services (now Dublin Bus of course). He started as a spare driver in Ringsend garage and then after 2 years service he got
marked in on the 15 route. (The 15 route really consists of several routes such as 15, 15A, 15B, and more recently 15C). After
one year on the 15's Jimmy decided on a change of scenery and got marked in on the route 50 (still attached to Ringsend).
Jimmy spent 9 years on the route 50 and his conductor was the late Arthur McLoughlin. Some of you older drivers may remember
Arthur? In 1985 Jimmy transferred to
Conyngham Road garage and got marked in on the 78 route. He later also went driving on the 36 and 68 routes. In fact, since
1990 Jimmy has been on 'bogey' duties on the 36, 68, and 51B routes. The 51B route was his last route as a marked-in driver.
Like many a driver with Dublin Bus, Jimmy worked many a rest-day over the years working for Bus Eireann. It would be true
to say that there is not one County in Ireland, North and South, that Jimmy has not driven through whilst with Bus Eireann.
That may not be a record in itself but it sure adds up to a lot of driving.
Just in case you may think that Jimmy done nothing else but drive, I can put on record that Jimmy
did take to getting married way back in 1961 to a beautiful girl called Esther Lyons and Jimmy and Esther had two
children Sandra and James (Jnr). Of course no longer children, Sandra is coming up to her 45th Birthday in October 2007 and
James (Jnr) will be 40 years old in July 2007. For
any of you that believes in coincidences and so on, Jimmy was telling me that he noticed that his home house number is 309
- His locker number in the garage was 309, and the last three digits of his staff number was 309. How's that for a coincidence? When
it comes to foreign holidays Jimmy likes his bit of sun and can be seen with the jetset in many a Spanish resort including
the Canary Islands where it is believed The 'El Greco' apartments in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria has a reserved apartment for
Jimmy and Esther. We wish you well
in your retirement Jimmy and we send our best wishes to your family as well. We had some laughs along the way and the slagging
was fierce (as your 'culchie' comrades would say). A fitting tribute to a great man. May he rest in peace.
| John (Jack) Conroy at Hueston Station |
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| John's last goodbye... |
Please return soon.
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